UC-NRLF 


I 


$B    7T    "I" 


J.T.  ROBINSON  &  SON,  * 

Book.  Binders 

And  Blank   Book  Munu-  f 
facturers, 

No.  Adams,  Mass, 


SUBMARINE  BL^NG^N-t^H 
wilh  Blasting-Powder,  in  Er 


A   BALDWIN,  EBq.,  O«'l  B»I*-  P'  and  J 


WM 

M 

Glycerin  were 


W.  A.  BALDWIN,  Es,.,  0«'l 


Philadelphia 
Office  of  th« 


t  of  drilling  and 


To 

DEiR  S»  :-In  -p.,  to  y  we  can  drudge  twice 

ha,e  no  hesitation  in  *aying  tuat  I  an,   e^'n 
X  eou,a  spea,^  and  say  tee  ?a  -      ^ 


bating, 


we  have  no 


Nitro-Glycerin  used,  one  oun 


in  dredging 
the  number  o| 
In  fact 
,      Trul: 

cost  44  1- 
yard  of  roc 


Submarine  Works, 


HOOSAC 


supply  on  band. 


GEO,  M.  MOWBRAY,  NQptfi  Adams,  Wasa, 


TBI-NITRO-GLYCEBIN,  delivered,         per  lb., 
««  "  at  factory,          "    " 

ELECTRIC 


$1.50. 
1.35. 


These  are  camposed  of  a  priming  which  is  not  affected  by  atmospheric  electricity, 
and  can  only  be  discharged  by  an  actual  sp;irk.  The  copper  wire  is  prepared  especially 
for  our  purpose  and  possesses  92  per  cent,  actual  conducting  power ;  the  insulating 
material,  for  both  exploders  and  lending  wire  is  gutta-percha,  selected  for  its  electrical 
properties  and  then  carefully  purified.  The  insulation  is  effected  by  machinery  of  our 
own  construction,  the  object  sought  being  to  make  an  exploder  SAFE  FOE  A  MINEB  TO 
HAXDLE  in  all  conditions  of  the  atmosphere,  SURE  FIEE,  and  calculated  to  secure  the 
full  blasting  effect  of  our  Tri-nitro-glycerin,  which  we  believe  to  be  30  per  cent  more 
powerful,  more  difficult  to  explode,  and  consequently  safer  than  .any  other  in  the 
market. 

(We  do  not  manufacture  the  "sensitive"  fulminate  copper  priming,  necessary  to 
compensate  for  the  imperfect  insulation  of  cotton  covered  and  varnished  electric  fuses, 
because  the  numerous  accidents  that  have  occurred,  seem  to  prohibit  their  use.) 


With  10  feet  wires, 
"       8  feet       " 
6  feet       "    - 
4  feet       '« 


25  cents  each. 

-  20  cents   « 
15  cents   " 

-  10  cents   " 


Your  exploders,  with  the  insulated  wire,  are  the  best  in  the  market. 

HENRY  L.  ABBOTT, 
Brev.  Brig.  Gen.  U.  S.  Engineers,  Fort,  Willetts  Point,  L.  I. 


Tape  fuse  exploders,  in  boxes  of  50  each,  price, 


12.60, 


Address  GEO.  M.  MOWBRAY, 

North  Adams,  Mass. 


July,  1872. 


TRI-N1TRO-GLYCERIN, 


AS  Al'I'MKM  IN  THK 


funnel,  ^uhmarine  Ijl 

j  » 


ETC.,     ETC.,     ETC. 


BY 


GEO.     M.     MOWBRAY, 


XORTH  ADAMS.  MASS. 


1872. 


JA.MK-    I. 


NORTH     ADAMS: 

A    K»,   I'lilMKK-    AM.    III\|.|.I>,    ll:\N^(  KH'T   «  )} 
Trnn«»cript  Bnildinj?,  Rank  Str» 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  by 

GEORGE  M.  MOWBRAY, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


MRS.  S.S.  MONTAGUS 


D  EDIC  ATI  O  N. 


To    WALTER    SHANLY,    M.    P. 

Indebted  to  you  for  the  resources  which  have  enabled  me  to 
investigate  the  properties  of  Nitro-Glyceriu,  and  render  its  man- 
ufacture a  commercial  success,  permit  me  to  dedicate  the  follow- 
ing pages  in  token  of  my  appreciation  of  the  indomitable  energy, 
admirable  organization,  integrity  of  purpose,  and  engineering 
talent  which  have  rescued  the  Hoosac  Tunnel  from  the  mire  of 
politics  and  rendered  it  an  engineering  success ;  notwithstand- 
ing extraordinary  impediments  of  flood,  water  fissures,  strikes, 
jealousy  and  indifference  on  the  part  of  those  chiefly  interested, 
that  must  have  been  most  disheartening  to  your  mind,  and  chal- 
lenged a  resolution  and  resources  seldom  combined  with  the 
abilities  you  have  shewn  in  this  work.  Our  relations  during  the 
past  three  years  having  been  without  a  ripple,  render  this,  my 
simple  duty,  an  agreeable  task. 

GEO.    M.    MOWBRAY. 


117174 


PREFACE. 


A  paper  read  by  request  at  the  Albany  Institute,  was  the 
germ  of  the  following  pa^es;  its  p  •  liVation  in  this  form,  I  con- 
sidered would  furnish  engineers,  contractors  and  railroad  direc- 
tors, who  occasionally  apply  to  me  for  particulars  as  to  the  use 
of  Xitro-Glycerin  in  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  with  detailed  informa- 
tion impossible  to  condense  in  a  business  letter.  Hurriedly 
composed  during  the  spare  hours  of  a  manufacture  involving 
grave  responsibility,  the  writer  weighted  with  the  additional  task 
of  defeating  an  attempt  to  monopolize  the  use  (not  the  manufac- 
ture) of  Nitro-Glycerin  throughout  the  United  States,  whilst  the 
subject  itself,  "  Explosives,  and  firing  mines  by  Electricity," 
constantly  demanded  experimental  research,  this  work  has  not 
the  arrangement  nor  the  completeness  I  could  desire;  but  the 
author  hopes  it  will  create  a  more  favorable  regard  in  the  public 
mind,  towards  the  most  powerful  blasting  agent  known,  by  cor- 
recting errors  in  respect  to  its  properties,  and  the  casualties 
attending  its  use;  and  assist  miners  and  contractors  to  a  more 
intelligent  acquaintance  with  some  of  the  materials  the  present 
advanced  state  of  engineering  progress  has  brought  into  practi- 
cal use. 

GEO.    M.    MOWBRAY. 

North  Adams,  Mass.,  June  1st,  1872. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Nitro-Glycerin  —  Introduction  of  the  explosive  in  New  York,  San  Francisco,  Lake 
Superior,  and  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  Massachusetts ;  Accidents ;  Reports  of  Engi- 
neers Thos.  A.  Doane,  W.  P.  Granger  and  B.  D.  Frost,  of  the  Manufacturer ; 
Miners'  statement. 

CHAPTER    II. 

Submarine  Blasting  — Erie  Harbor— Dimon's  Beef,  New  York  —  Coenties  Reef,  N.  Y. 
—  Oil  Wells,  Penn. 

CHAPTER    III. 
Nitro-Glycerin  considered  in  its  chemical  details. 

CHAPTER     IV. 
Electricity  in  blasting  operations. 

CHAPTER    V. 

The  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin  manufactured  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel— How  Tri -Nitro-Gly- 
cerin is  made  — How  stored  — How  Gutta-Percha  is  purified— How  the  Ex- 
ploders are  manufactured. 

CHAPTER    VI. 
Explosive  mixtures. 

CHAPTER     VII. 
Nitro-Glycerin  patents  and  litigation. 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
Hoosac  Tunnel  —  Drilling  by  machine  —  Blasting  with  Powder  —  Nitro-Glycerin. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HANDLING  AND   USING  TRI-NITRO-GLYCERIN. 

APPENDIX. 

A.  Memoranda  for  Contractors. 

B.  Over-sensitive  Exploders. 

C.  Professor  Abel  on  effects  of  initial  explosion  on  explosives. 

D.  Car  freighted  with  4,800  ibs.  Nitro-Glycerin  off  the  track. 

E.  Accidents  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE. 

1.    Vignette. 

II.    Drilling  machine  at  heading,  a  photograph  taken  in  Tunnel  by  Magne- 
sium light,  7,760  feet  from  West  Portal. 

III.  Stereoscopic  view.    Twelve  cans  after  an  explosion, 18 

IV.  ••  "        West  End,  Hoosac  Tunnel, 28 

V.  "  "        East  End,  Hoosac  Tunnel, 39 

VI.  "  "        Nitro-Glycerin  factory, 43 

VII.  "  '*  "    interior  of  converting  room,  -  46 

VIII.  "  "        Central  shaft,  Hoosac  Tunnel, 50 

IX.  Miners  ascending  "  "  "  " 68 

X.  Bursting  of  can,  whilst  conveying  Nitro-Glycerin,  Hoosac  Tunnel,        -  66 

XI.  Sinking  Central  Shaft,  Hoosac  Tunnel, 74 

XII.  Profile  of  the  Hoosac  Mountain,  shewing  progress  January  1, 1872,        -  80 

XIII.  "  Stopeing  out"  enlargement,  East  End, 85 

XIV.  Driving  bench  work  and  dumping  from  heading,  West  End,    ...  90 

(Photographs  taken  by  L.  Daft,  operating  for  Messrs.  Thompson  &  Co.,  of  Albany, 
the  drawings  by  Assistant  Engineers  C.  O.  Wederkinch  and  G.  Lunt,  the  wood-cuts 
by  Andrew  &  Son,  Boston.) 


CHAPTER     I. 


Nitro-Glyeerin--Introduetion  of  the  ex- 
plosive in  New  York,  San  Francisco,  Lake  Superior, 
and  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  Massachusetts.  Accidents, 
Reports  of  Engineers  Thos.  A.  Doane,  W.  P.  Granger 
and  B.  D.  Frost,  of  the  Manufacturer,  Miners'  state- 
ment. 

The  city  of  New  York  was  startled  one  fine  Sunday  morning 
(1865)  by  an  explosion  in  Greenwich  Street,  opposite  the  Wy- 
oming Hotel,  the  windows  of  every  house  within  one  hundred 
yards  of  the  entrance  to  the  Wyoming  Hotel  were  shattered, 
ped'-.-trians  were  thrown  down,  and  the  pavement  broken  up. 
A  few  minutes  previous  to  the  explosion,  one  of  the  guest.-  in 
the  hotel  had  been  engaged  polishing  his  boots;  for  this  purpose 
lie  had  drawn  from  under  the  counter  of  the  hotel  office  a  small 
box,  on  which  he.  had  rested  his  foot;  noticing  a  reddish  vapor 
emanating  from  there-,  he  drew  the  attention  of  the  hotel 
clerk  to  it,  who  taking  the  box  in  his  hands  made  his  way  to 
the  front  door  and  threw  it  into  the  gutter,  whereupon  explo- 
sion instantly  followed. 

An  investigation  of  the  circumstances  connected  with  the 
storage  of  thi>  box,  developed  the  following  facts:  Some  time 
previously  a  passenger  from  (-in-many  who  had  occupied  a  room 
at  the  hotel,  being  unsuccessful  in  obtaining  employment  had 
left  it  as  security  for  his  board,  stating  that  it  was  Glonoin 
Oil,  a  new  material  that  had  been  used  in  Germany  for  blasting 
purposes  with  great  success,  that  he,  the  passenger,  had  been 


EXPLOSIONS. 


intrusted  with  an  agency  for  introducing  the  sa-ns  to  miners 
and  others,  but  had  tailed  to  get  it  introduced  into  use  ;  un- 
doubtedly the  box  contained  Nitro-Grlycerin,  manufactured  by 
the  Nobel  Brothers,  who  had  a  manufactory  where  this  explosive 
was  compounded,  at  Hamburgh. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1866  this  substance  was  again  a 
prominent  subject  of  discussion,  owing  to  an  explosion  which  was 
attended  with  the  burning  and  ultimate  destruction  of  the  steam- 
er "  European,"  one  of  the  West  India  mail  packets,  while  she 
was  lying  at  the  railway  wharf  of  Colon  or  Aspinwall,  on  the 
Atlantic  side  of  the  isthmus  of  Panama.  Knowing  that  Nitro- 
Glycerin  was  on  board  under  the  name  of  "  glonvene  "  or 
"  glonoin  oil,"  on  its  way  to  the  gold  mining  districts  of  the 
North  American  Pacific  States,  as  an  explosive  or  blasting 
agent,  it  was  concluded  that  the  explosion  was  due  to  this  sub- 
stance. Unfortunately,  forty-seven  persons  were  either  killed  at 
the  time  of  the  explosion  or  died  shortly  afterward  from  the  in- 
juries they  sustained.  Immediately  succeeding  this  accident 
another  explosion  occurred  in  the  office  of  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co., 
in  San  Francisco,  by  which  eight  persons  lost  their  lives.  The 
damages  by  the  explosion  on  board  the  "  European  "  were  esti- 
mated at  one  million  dollars,  for  the  vessel,  built  of  iron  and  of 
unusual  strength,  was  destroyed,  and  the  pier  with  an  upper 
railroad  track  for  unloading  cargo,  and  warehouses  for  storing 
freight,  were  completely  wrecked.  The  San  Francisco  explo- 
sion involved  a  further  loss  of  a  quarter  million  dollars. 

In  all  the  above  cases  the  Nitro-Glyeerin  manufactured  at 
Hamburgh  reached  New  York  safely ;  in  the  Wyoming  Hotel 
explosion  it  had  been  lying  in  the  hotel  several  weeks,  in  the 
Aspinwall  catastrophe  it  had  been  transported  over  the  Isthmus 
and  reshipped  by  steamer  as  express  freight  by  Wells,  Fargo  & 
Co.,  to  San  Francisco,  and  carted  to  their  office  in  Montgomery 
Street  before  the  explosion  occurred.  It  subsequently  trans- 
pired that  the  immediate  cause  of  the  explosion  at  Aspinwall 
wa<,  a  case  slipping  from  the  slings  whilst  being  hoisted  out  of 
the  hold  of  the  vessel ;  in  San  Francisco,  the  circumstances  as 
detailed  to  the  writer,  were  as  follows:  a  man  passing  by  Wells, 
Fargo  &  Co.'  osffice  heard  one  of  the  employe's  address  a 
gentleman  riding  past  on  horseback,  saying,  "Doctor,  we  have 
got  a  case  of  glonoin  oil  and  it  seems  to  be  smoking,  I  wish  you 


KXAMINATION     AT     LAKE     S I   1'KRK  >R. 


would  step  in  and  advise  us  what  had  better  be  done  witli  it;" 
the  doctor  (Hill)  dismounted,  requesting  a  ]>a>scr  by  to  take 
charge  ot  his  hor>e  and  walk  it  up  and  down  the1  block,  the 
animal  being  too  high  spirited  to  >rand  without  an  attendant; 
ly  had  the  person  in  charge  g»ne  a  block  from  the  oliice 
when  the  explosion  occurred.  It  can  only  be  interred  that  in 
breaking  open  the  ca.se  to  discover  the  cause  of  leakage  of  red 
fumes,  tlie  Xitro-Glycerin  was  e\[)loded.  I  have  since  a-cer- 
•  1  from  the  New  York  consignee  of  this  parcel  of  Xitro- 
Glvceiin,  (]\Ies-r>.  XoheTs  agent)  that  after  the  shipment  to 
Panama,  which  was  only  a  part  of  the  consignment  from  Ham- 
burgh, the  agent  leaving  another  portion  in  warehouse  in  Tenth 
Street,  New  York,  proceeded  to  Lake  Superior  in  the  winter 
sea-on  with  a  part  of  the  same  shipment,  where,  on  arrival  and 
opening  the  cases,  he  found  it  had  been  packed  in  bottle-  sur- 
rounded with  sawdust,  and  in  conceal ing  had  burst  the  bottles, 
a  portion  of  the  Xitro-Glycerin  being  found  solid  in  the  neck 
of  the  bottle.  This  therefor.-,  if  correctly  reported,  would  go  to 
prove  the  Xobrl  Nitro-Glyeerm  expands  during  congelation.* 
"What  had  been  bottles  containing  Xitro-Glycerin  were  now 
fragment.-  of  broken  glass,  whilst  the  Xitro-Glycerin  itself, 
owing  to  the  extremely  cold  temperature  of  a  Lake  Superior 
winter,  was  found  in  solid  mass  of  the  exact  mould  of  the  bottle 
that  had  contained  it.  Upon  discovering  this  condition  of  the 
-  and  their  contents  the  consignee  at  Lake  Superior  tele- 
graphed to  his  correspondent  in  Xew  York:  "Direct  M 
Bandmann  to  throw  the  cases  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  shipped  to 
them,  overboard  on  arrival."  Probably  in  the  1>  -li  -f  tint  the 
temperature  of  the  upper  lakes  \va-  the  cause  of  th  •  b/oken 
bottles  and  that  the  warmer  temperature  of  the  tropics  an  1  San 
Francisco  did' not  apply,  this  advice  was  neglected. 

Rejecting  as  a  chemist   upon  these  <.'.\pl«»>ions,  that   here  was 

ipoimd  made  at  Hamburgh, carted  to  the  wharf, loaded  on 

board  steamer  by  the  stevedores,  voyaging  to  London,  reshipped 

to  Panama,  the  express  portion  of  it  forwarded  across  the  Isthmus 

by  railway,  thence   lightered   to   and   loaded   upon   the  steamer, 

*Tlii-  'listin^ui>hcs  it  from  the   Mmvbniy  Tri-Nitro-Ulyceriii.  the  latter 

contracting  about  oiir-twHtth  <>t  its   bulk  in  coiiircalin^;  furtln-r,  the  Noln-l   patents 

Clftilfi  a  preparation  whieli  conceals  at  :>.V  K  ,  wli»-rca>  the  Movvbi-ny  Tri-Nitro  (ily- 

cerin  conceals  at  J.".-  F.     No  lurtlicr  <;vi.l<-n<-<>  i<  m-i-cs-ary  t<>  prove  that  :i  real  ditfer- 

•npoiifiit  }<  ,-M  tlie  two  preparations. 


bearing  twelve  days'  voyage  to  San  Francisco,  where  on  arrival 
it  is  taken  to  the  express  office,  previous  to  being  forwarded 
to  the  mines ;  now  how  did  it  happen,  since  there  is  no  effect 
wi th  out  a  cause,  after  all  this  handling  that  an  explosion  took 
place  ?  Determined  to  solve  this  problem,  I  undertook  the 
preparation  and  qualitative  examination  of  Nitre-Glycerin. 
Residing  at  that  time  at  Titusville  in  the  oil  region  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  the  disastrous  results  of  speculations  in  oil  territory 
during  the  previous  year,  compelled  most  of  us  to  "  masterly 
inactivity,"  I  had  the  leisure,  whilst  my  curiosity  was  piqued 
to  discover,  the  apparently  anomalous  properties  which  this 
explosive  seemed  to  present,  and  in  1866,  after  maturing  the 
process  patented  April  7,  1868,  I  inserted  a  brief  advertisement 
in  the  Scientific  American,  offering  to  manufacture  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin  on  a  large  scale  for  miners  and  others.  In  1866,  I 
received  a  communication  from  Thomas  A.  Doane;  Esq.,  chief 
engineer  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  who  was  keenly  alive  to  the 
necessity  of  more  efficient  means  for  driving  that  work.  I  extract 
from  his  annual  report  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  Troy  and 
Greenfield  Railroad  and  Hoosac  Tunnel,  James  M.  Slmte,  Alvah 
Crocker  and  Charles  Hudson,  dated  Dec.  19,  1866,  and  having 
reference  to  the  work  of  the  current  year,  as  follows : 

u  Page  21.  It  has  been  my  continual  desire  since  entering 
upon  this  work  to  learn  how  to  fire  several  charges  at  the  same 
time.  This  I  hoped  to  do  of  Colonel  Tal  P.  Shaffner,  but  his 
coming  upon  our  work  was  so  long  delayed,  it  being  something 
more  than  a  year  after  his  first  brief  visit  here,  that  it  began  to 
seem  hopeless.  Last  spring,  in  making  a  visit  to  the  Bessemer 
steel  works  in  Troy,  partly  in  way  of  business,  but  more  out  of 
curiosity  to  see  and  learn  something  concerning  this  process  of 
making  steel,  it  was  my  good  fortune  to  obtain  an  introduction 
through  Mr.  Holley  of  the  steel  works,  to  J.  J.  Revey  of  London. 
Mr.  Revey  is  connected  with  the  gun-cotton  works  of  London, 
and  was  acquainted  with  the  most  approved  methods  of  simul- 
taneous firing.  He  very  kindly  and  fully  explained  to  me  the 
process  and  gave  me  a  description  of  the  electrical  machine  and 
toes  necessary,  and  also  afterwards  made  a  visit  to  our  Tunnel. 
The  Commissioners  ordered  for  me  two  electric  machines,  four 
thousand  fuses,  and  several  miles  of  conducting  and  connecting 
wire.  These  were  several  months  in  transit  and  before  their 


CHI!  7 

arrival  Colonel  Shaffner  came  with  his  material.      His    machine 

• 

tor  exploding  was  Wheatstone's  magueto-electric  exploder,  and 
bv  it  ami  hi-  systeifl  of  connecting  wiiv>  ii  was  found  impossible 

to  tire  more  than  ahout  five  charges  at  once,  and  these  not  simul- 
taneously.     This  of  course  was   tar  from   satisfactory.      Shortly 
after,  the  ebonite  (or  Austrian  pattern)  machines  with  the  Ahel 
ordered  for  me,  arrived,  and  we  very  soon   learned  how  to 
MCIM    both,  and  have   heen  aide   to  lire  at  once   as  many  as 
thirty-one  charg- 

"  While  it  is  important  to  save  the  time  which  can  he  saved 
hv  thi>  process  in  tiring,  and  to  reduce  the  risk  of  accident,  and 
to  avoid  the  >moke  made  by  the  burning  of  the  common  fuse, 
it  is  much  more  important  to  the  progress,  that  simultaneity  of 
tirinir  be  >ecured.  If  charges  in  adjoining  holes  can  be  lired  as 
though  but  one  charge,  then  they  help  each  other  and  much 
more  rock  will  be  torn  away.  The  whole  top  may  be  thrown 
down  or  the  bottom  brought  up  by  proper  arrangement  of  holes, 
and  bv  means  of  a  ring  of  converging  holes  the  center  may  be 
drairired  out.  The  passage  of  the  electric  spark  through  one 
•ii  of  wires  occupies  practically  no  appreciable  time,  while 
through  >everal  >yst<  ins  it  may.  If  the  charges  in  adjoining 
holes  are  tired  with  the  interval  of  an  instant,  it  may  ju>t  as 
well  be  a  week  so  far  as  the  tearing  of  the  rock  is  concerned. 

"The  number  of  tuses  obtained  was  so  small  that  their  influ- 
ence upon  progress  i<  hardly  appreciable,  except  possibly  at  the 
tral  Shaft. 

"  Tuder  the  direction  of  Colonel  Shafifner,  experiments  have 
been  tried  at  the  West  Shaft  with  Xitro-Glycerin.  Tli  •  ; -rticle 
u-ed  was  imported  from  Europe,  and  much  time  WMS  consumed 
in  ordering,  shipping,  and  passing  it  through  the  custom  house. 
In  these  experiments  Colonel  Shatfner  has  been  eminent!;. 

d.  No  accident  has  resulted,  and  indeed  there  seems  to 
be  comparatively  little  risk  if  the  article  is  good  and  ordinary 
care  is  taken  in  its  '.; 

k' The  (iivceriii  will    occasion  to  SQUle  p<  ix-ns,  if  they  are  ex- 

i  to  it  in  a  particular   manner,  a  headache*  for  an   hour  or 

two,  while   others  arc   not  tin,  !.      Our   men   have   made 

*Th:  -  m-vrr  bi-«-n  produced  by  tin-  Tri-Nitr<>-<  ,]v<-enn  <"  Mowb ray's  ") 

and  is  ;im>tlicr  :uul   very  rmplmtk-  proot  «>f  tin  dilT»-n-nce  between  the  two  pre- 
parat  I 


CONSULTING  ENGINEER  LATROBE  S  REPORT. 


very  little  complaint  in  this  respect,  and  indeed  there  has  been' 
no  difficulty  experienced  in  introducing  this  new  and  powerful 
explosive  among  men  who  never  before  have  used  anything  but 
powder. 

"  It  was   some   time   ago   demonstrated  by  experiment,  that 
double  progress  could  be  made  with  Glycerin  over  that  made 
with  powder  at  less  cost.     This  is  a  wonderful  achievement  and 
its  effect  upon  the  prospect  of  this  work,  in  regard  to  its  early 
completion  at  reasonable  cost  cannot  but  be  good.     It  is  true 
that  the  experiment  was  limited  to  a  shorter  time  by  reason  of 
the  small    supply  of  electrical  fuses  and    Nitro-Glycerin  than, 
could  have  been  wished,  and  that  my  views  may  upon  further 
experience  be  modified  or  changed  even,  but  with  what  informa- 
tion I  now  have  there  is  no  room  to  doubt  its  fitness  for  our 
purpose.     It  is   the  testimony  of  all  who  have  seen  our  work,, 
including  Mr.  Eevey,  George  Berkeley  of  London,  C.  E.,  Dr. 
Ehrhardt  of  London,  Colonel  Shaffner,  and  others  familiar  with 
tunnelling,  that  while  our  rock  is  not  in  general  harder  to  drill 
than  many  others,  it  is  most  persistently  tough.     That  is,  the 
number  of  charges  we  fire,  if  they  could  be  in  granite  or  lime 
or  in  any  brittle  stone,  would  bring  out  two  or  three  times  more 
of  debris  than  now.     It  is  therefore  necessary  that  we  should 
have  the  quickest  explosive  to  get  the  best  result.     As  prepara- 
tions of  mercury  are  not  to  be  'thought  of  on  account  of  their 
danger,  we  take  Nitro- Glycerin  as  being  next  in  power,  while 
it  is  comparatively  safe.     Whenever  its  extensive  use  shall  be 
concluded  upon  it  will  be  necessary  to   secure  the  services  of 
some  scientific  person  expert  in  handling  it,  that  some  antidote 
against  headache  may  be  discovered,  and  that  the  risk  may  be^ 
reduced  to  the  lowest  possible  point.     Bulk  for  bulk,  which  is 
the  only  useful  comparison  to  be  made  here,  Nitre-Glycerin  is- 
eight  times  more  powerful  than  common  powder." 

In  same  report,  page  64,  the  consulting  engineer,  Benj.  II~ 
Latrobe,  states:  "  In  the  east  heading  of  the  West  Shaft  experi- 
ments with  Nitre-Glycerin  as  ;m  explosive  were  made  with 
highly  favorable  results,  as  reported  by  the  chief  engineer  who 
states,  the  forward  progress  in  the  heading  proper  (six  by  fifteen 
in  section)  as  doubled,  and  in  the  heading  enlargement  (to  ten 
and  a  halt'  and  fifteen)  as  trebled  by  this  new  agent  when  (join- 
pared  with  gunpowder.  lie  also  reports  $10.20  per  cubic  yard. 


REPORT.  9 


1  in  tli  '  h. 'ruling,  and  s:>. (\±  in  rli  •  enlargv'inent,  on  a  similar 
f.omparison  with   gunpowder,  resill  linly  of  the    most   en- 

couraging  character,  and  inviting  to  farther  and  persevering 
effort  tor  tin-  safe  and  successful  u-e  ol'  the  new  explosive." 

The.  Commi  themselves   report — page  6 :  "The   value 

and  economy  of  Nitre-Glycerin  as  an  explosive  seem-  to  have 
fully  demonstrated  and  the  method  of  using  it  with  safety 
to  the  employee-  appears  to  he  the  only  question  now  undeter- 
mined. Its  early  introduction  is  very  desirable  and  preparations 
are  making  to  bring  this  about  wh  'ir-ver  it  shall  appear  prudent 
to  do  >o,  since  it  is  believed,  on  th"  strength  of  numerou-  experi- 
inents  made  in  tlie  tunnel  at  th"  West  End,  that  hy  the  ; 
tliis  agent  al<«  -mpared  with  gunpowder,  th  *  ti.n-  required 

for  completing  the  work  may  My  r  •  In 

Between   the   issuing  of  the  above   report  and   th  it  of   1 
circum>:  i    to    the   withdrawal  of  Mr.    Doaii  '   from   the 

Tunnel,  and  Commissioner  Hon.  Alvah  Crocker  personally  un- 
dertook the  superintendence  of  the  work.  In  his  report  dated 
January,  1868,  the  following  remarks  occur: 

"  Nitro-Glycerm — experiments  as  made  in  the  West  Shaft 
as  given  by  Mr.  Doane  and  referred  to  by  Hon.  Tappan  Went- 
worth,  chairman  of  the  Tunnel  Committee  of  that  year,  induced 
early  action  by  the  Commission.  As  long  ago  as  February  last 
I  visited  Xew  York,  and  sp.Mii  >.jveral  days  in  endeavoring  to 
rain  if  the  article  had  been  made  there,  or  in  the  vicinity, 
but  to  no  purpose.  Finding  subsequently  that  the  railroads 
refused  absolutely  to  transport  it,  the  matter  rested  until  the 
Hrst  of  July,  when  I  addressed  George  M.  Mowbray,  Esq.,  of 
Titusville,  operative  chemist,  and  with  the  permission  of  the 
Commission  lr-  was  called  to  North  Adams  and  a  contract  con- 
cluded with  him  highly  advantageous  to  the  Commonwealth. 
As  will  appear  in  the  apwndix,  the  public  will  be  gratified  to 
learn  thai  we  are  on  tin  _iving  it  a  fair  trial." 

On  the  L'Hth  of  OetolAl867,  the  Avriter  arrived  in  North 
Adams  and  1  subjoin  my h,  >ort  to  the  superintending  commis- 
sioner, dated  January  llJUpS,  and  addressed  to  Hon.  Alvah 
•Crocker.  Superintendent  of  IIo<»ac  Tunnel: 

;  If  of  permission  to  report   j»r-  '  the 

arrangement    to    introduce   NItro-Glycerin    for   the    purp<> 
blasting  in  the  Ilo.i-ac  Tunnel,  subject  to  the  condition-  inij 


10  G.  M.  MOWBBAY'S  KEPORT. 


by  you  at  an  interview  held  in  the  engineer's  office,  during  the 
latter  part  of  October,  1867.  These  conditions  were— 

"  First.  To  conduct  the  operations  with  a  strict  regard  to  the 
safety  of  the  miners,  and  to  avoid  all  risks  that  might  endanger 
the  property  of  the  State,  connected  writh  the  Tunnel 

"  Second.  The  outlay  of  capital  for  the  necessary  works  to  be 
defrayed  at  my  own  cost  and  expense. 

"  Third.  That  the  Nitro-Glycerin  should  be  supplied  at  cur- 
rent market  rates,  freight  added ;  the  State  of  Massachusetts 
furnishing  a  convenient  site  for  the  buildings,  compressed  air, 
and  a  supply  of  water,  free  of  cost,  and  to  give  the  subscriber  a 
preference  in  consideration  of  his  erecting  the  works  adjacent  to 
the  Tunnel. 

"  The  reasons  that  led  to  this  arrangement  were,  that  a>  the 
rock  found  in  excavating  the  Tunnel  was  exceedingly  tough,  any 
increased  progress  or  lineal  advance  per  Month  without  any  in- 
creased expenditure;  in  other  words,  diminished  cost  per  lineal 
foot  and  quickened  advance,  seemed  possible  only  by  the  use  of 
a  more  effective  explosive  agent  than  gunpowder;  that  in  Nitro- 
Glycerin  this  greater  power  existed,  and  therefore  its  use  was 
desirable ;  the  problem  being  convenience  of  supply,  guarding 
against  the  possibility  of  accident,  by  planning  carefully  every 
detail  in  its  use,  rigidly  enforcing  every  precaution,  a  failure  in 
any  of  these  points  involving  pecuniary  loss  in  outlay  for  the 
works  by  the  party  undertaking  its  supply  and  superintending 
its  use  in  the  Tunnel. 

"  Agreeing  with  you  in  the  propriety  of  these  views,  I  com- 
menced operations  on  the  30th  of  October.  During  the  past 
two  months  a  convenient  two-story  factory  has  been  erected, 
and  the  necessary  apparatus  set  up  therein,  about  1000  feet 
south  of  the  west  shaft;  within  twenty  feet  of  this  factorv,  a 
small  dwelling  for  myself  and  an  experienced  assistant,  and 
about  500  feet  further  south  on  the  extreme  line  ol  land  owned 
by  the  State,  a  magazine  for  storing  Nitro-Glycerin  has  been 
constructed.  Inclement  weather  somewhat  retarded  these  opera- 
tions, nevertheless,  the  crude  articles  used  in  the  manufacture 
and  every  appliance  to  render  the  labor  of  making  a  "chemically 
pure  "  Nitro-Glycerin,  without  danger  to  those  engaged  in  its 
manufacture,  were  completed  and  in  good  working  order  on  the 
31st  of  December,  1867. 


11 

"The  assistance-  rendered  me  by  the  gentlemen  superintending 
the  various  departments  of  the  tunnel  work,  materially  con- 
tributed to  this  result,  and  I  gratefully  acknowledge  their  uniform 
eourtesv  and  promptitude  in  forwarding  my  undertaking.  Your  < 
own  constant  attendance  at  the  engineer's  office  permitted  me 
almost  daily  to  submit  my  plans,  which  therefore  met  no  delay 
in  being  subjected  to  the  scrutiny  of  the  engineer  in  charge, 
who  as  promptly  reported  on  them. 

"  On  the  2d  of  January,  1868,  I  moved  up  to  the  works  and 
on  the  following  day  tested  the  apparatus  by  manufacturing, 
and  although  somewhat  delayed  by  the  necessity  of  drying  the 
plastering  in  the  magazine,  and  introducing  suitable  heating 
apparatus  to  maintain  a  moderate  temperature  during  this  hide 
ment  season,  (a  neglect  of  which  precaution  remotely  led  to  the 
Bergen  accident)  yet  to-day  we  have  a  supply  of  Nitre-Glycerin, 
properly  and  safely  stored,  ready  for  use.  Samples  of  this  have 
been  duly  tested  for  its  explosive  force  by  the  engineer  in  charge 
and  his  assistant,  giving  satisfaction  as  to  its  tremendous  power, 
and  facility  of  explosion,  with  a  peculiar  fuse  and  exploder. 
You  may  therefore  rely  on  a  regular  supply  as  needed,  and  I 
submit  that  a  month's  consumption  be  kept  on  hand,  in  order 
that  it  may  free  itself  from  adherent  water,  which,  except  other 
means  be  used  to  free  it,  does  not  separate  for  about  ten  days. 
Freed  from  this  obstinately  adhering  moisture,  it  is  safer  and 
more  effective  for  blasting  purposes. 

"  As  respects  its  application  to  blasting,  during  the  ensuing 
week  the  conducting  wires  will  be  laid  to  the  east  heading  (west 
shaft)  and  in  order  to  maintain  the  electrical  machine  in  working 
order,  I  have  arranged  that  the  act  necessary  to  tiring  a  blast 
shall  be  performed  in  the  time-keeper's  office,  where  the  air  is 
dry  and  therefore  favorable  to  exciting  the  charge  of  electricity, 
but  the  control  and  the  means  to  signal  for  a  discharge,  will  be 
in  the  Tunnel  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  heading.  By  this 
arrangement,  although  requiring  more  conducting  wire,  the 
ince.-sant  repair.-  t<>  a  co-tly  and  delicate  instrument  and  disap- 
pointment and  delay  attending  mis.— tires  will  be  avoided,  and 
the  drillers  will  be  detained  from  their  labor  at  each  discharge 
for  a  h-s-  period  of  time. 

"The  order  of  charging  and  tiring  is  a>  follows:  When  the 
drill-holes  have,  been  completed,  i-  y  tour  Imursj  signal  is 


12  G.  M.  MOWBRAY'S  REPORT. 


made,  for  the  cartridges  which  are  only  then  taken  into  the 
Tunnel,  (the  Nitro-Glycerin  in  its  containing  cartridge  in  one 
vessel,  the  exploders,  with  priming  and  connecting  wires  attached, 
in  another  separate  vessel.)  On  arrival  at  the  heading,  the  miners 
are  dismissed  to  a  safe  distance,  the  drill-holes  are  then  gauged, 
to  be  assured  they  will  receive  the  cartridges  ;  now,  and  for  the 
first  time  the  exploders  are  attached  to  the  Nitro-Glycerm  cart- 
ridges, and  immediately  passed  into  the  drill-holes,  these  latter 
are  plugged  with  a  bung,  perforated  to  allow  the  delicate  con- 
necting wires  to  pass,  (thus  avoiding  cutting  the  insulation  against 
the  rock,  and  confining  the  flame  ;)  connection  is  made  begin- 
ning with  the  return  wire  to  the  cartridges  consecutively,  and 
on  to  the  conducting  wire.  The  operator  now  retires  from  the 
heading  some  300  feet  towards  the  shaft  where  a  simple  but 
important  apparatus,  or  break  is  arranged  ;  he  then  arid  there 
connects  his  return  wire  and  his  conducting  wire  to  two  similar 
wires  that  lead  to  the  electrical  discharge, which  duty  is  performed 
in  the  dry,  warm  room  before  referred  to,  and  the  explosions 
take  place  instantaneously. 

The  above  modification  is  a  necessity  to  avoid  the  damaging 
influence  of  the  moisture  in  the  Tunnel,  so  disturbing  in  its  effect 
on  the  machine.  I  have  only  to  add,  that  we  have  under-way 
apparatus  for  coating  and  re-covering  damaged  insulated  wires, 
an  improvement  to  insure  perfect  explosion  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin ; 
the  manufacture  of  Abel's  priming  for  fuse,  the  formula  having 
been  published  by  the  inventory  matters  of  comparatively  minor 
importance,  but  where  so  many  blasts  are  daily  occurring,  involv- 
ing considerable  saving  in  cost  and  express  charges,  and  securing 
a  better  article  when  made  by  the  individual  for  his  own  actual 
use,  than  when  made  simply  for  sale,  all  tending  to  greater  safety 
and  certainty  in  firing  the  blasts,  ameliorations  that  have  already 
been  .submitted  to  and  approved  by  your  engineer  in  charge;  who 
will  doubtless  speedily  report  the  actual  results  of  blasting 
operations.  Respectfully, 

GKO.  M.  MVnvBiiAY,  Operative  Chemist. 

The  following  letter  from  the  Engineer  in  charge  to  the 
Commissioners,  is  interesting,  as  showing  that  the  Nitro-Glye-er- 
in  we  had  made,  was  superior,  aii-1  possessed  tar  more  valuable 
properties,  than  that  which  hud  been  imported  from  Hamburg  : 


L\    <   HAKuK KKl'oKT.  13 


NORTH  ADAMS,  FKU.  18,  1868. 

To  tin-  Commissioners  of  the  Troy  and  Greenfield  Railroad  and 
Eoosac  Tunnel  : 

.  n.KMK.v  : — I  liave   to   report   that    yesterday   -t  P.  M.,  we 
exploded  eleven  cartridges  <>f    Xitro-Glycerin    in   charges  of  1-2  ' 

•  •h,   in   open   hole-   without   tamping,   with  entire   Btti 
This   experiment   was  made  in  the  East  heading  of  West  Shaft. 
On  approaching  the  heading,  the  ahsence  of  foul  gases  and  .-nioke 
w.-i-  remarkable,  the  mass  ot  l>roken  rock  lay  close  to  the  head- 
ad   there  was    no   appearance  of  any  rock   thrown   to  any 
distance   from    the   heading.      Enquiring   of  the  miners   if   they 
rienced    any  headache,   elicited  the  remark  they  noticed  a 
"!,  but  nothing  further.     This  settle>  the  question 
ot  its  applicability  in  a  close  tunnel.      I  attribute  this  freedom 
from  the  foul  gases  which  we  noticed  in  our  experiments;1,  year 
since,  to  the  evident  purity  of  this  Xitro-Glycerin  ;    it  differs 
greatly   from   all   descriptions  of  the  article,  and  in  appearance 
from  that  we  imported,  being  a  liquid  colorless  as  water,  and  free 
from  smell  or    bubbles.      That    which  we  imported  was  a  thick, 
yellow  liquid,  quite  different  in  appearance  from  this.     I  have 
requested  Mr.  Mowbray,  who  manufactures   the  Kitro-Glycerin, 
to  take  charge  of  tlie  blasting,  and  informed  him  that  the  Com- 
>:ier>  wi-h   him  to  a--ume  the  responsibility  of  using  the 
Nitre-Glycerin  until  further  orders,  or  at  least  until  the  sy>t<-m 
of  tiring  is  thoroughly  organized  among  the  employees. 

I  enclose  his  reply,  and  approve  his  suggestions,  subject  to 
your  instructions. 

I  am  very  truly  truly  yours, 

W.  P.  GRANGER,  Engineer  in  ch;i 

The  Commissioners  tor  the  year  1868,  report  as  follows  : 

During  the  Summer,  Glycerin  of  a  very  good  quality  has  been 

manufactured  at  this' point,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Mowbray, 

and  ha-  been    u>ed  for  several    month-  in  Masting   in  the  tunnel 

Shaft.     No  accident  has  attended  it>  use.     And 

i   in  the.  heading  did  not    meet  the  expectations  of 

•-ult  of  irs  operation  in  the  bench  be- 

l-»w  th»  heading,  justifies  the   beli.-f  that  with  due  provision   for 

.d   attention  paid  upon  its 


14  INCREASED    PROGRESS    WITH    NITRO-GLYCERIN. 

management,  it  will  prove  an  effective  agent  in  the  prosecution 
of  this  enterprise. 

The  Superintending  Engineer,  Benj.  D.Frost,  Esq.,  reports  as 
follows  :    "  The  following  is  a  statement  of  monthly  progress. 


Length  driven. 

Total  distance 
from  W.  Shaft. 

In  November,  18  67, 

33  feet, 

1272  feet. 

December,  1867, 

22  feet, 

1294  feet. 

January,     1868, 

33  feet, 

1327  feet. 

February,  1868, 

35  feet, 

1362  feet. 

March,        1868, 

34  feet, 

1396  feet. 

April,          1868. 

24  feet, 

1420  feet. 

May,            1868, 

26  feet, 

1446  feet. 

June,           1868, 

(1)     21  feet, 

1467  feet. 

July,           1868,  (Nitro-Glycerin 

used)  47  feet, 

1514  feet. 

August,       1868,                  " 

44  feet, 

1558  feet. 

September,  1868,                  " 

(2)     51  feet, 

1609  feet. 

"  But  for  the  improved  methods  of  working  introduced,  the 
advance  would  have  been  much  less  satisfactory  than  that  we 
are  enabled  to  exhibit  above. 

"  Concerning  the  employment  of  Nitre-Glycerin  and  machine 
drilling  at  West  Shaft,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  remark  that 
many  difficulties  are  to  be  encountered  in  the  training  of  men  to 
a  new  service  and  in  successfully  employing  a  new  description 
of  fuse  and  explosive.  Some  remarks  upon  our  experience  in 
blasting  with  this  compound,  will  be  found  in  a  subsequent 
portion  of  this  report.  Continuous  use  of  machine  drills  was 
commenced  at  the  West  Shaft  in  the  latter  part  of  June,  and  of 
Nitro-Glycerin  as  an  explosive  in  the  month  of  August.  Some 
delays  were  necessarily  experienced  at  first,  but  greatly  im- 
proved progress  was  shortly  attained.  Some  previous  trials  of 
machine  drilling  had  been  made  earlier  in  the  present  year,  but 
without  continuous  progress,  upon  which  satisfactory  estimates 
of  success  might  be  based.  The  last  workings  made,  including 
the  month  of  September,  up  to  the  time  of  suspension,  about 
five-sixths  of  u  working  month,  attained  a  linear  progress  of  51 
foot,  with  six  drills  only.  The  mjichinery  provided  :it  Wc-4 
Shaft  is  only  sufficient  to  supply  the  pneumatic  power  for  the 


(1)  Preparing  for  machine  drilling. 

>;  ember  1,  to  21,  .">-<;  month.     Kute  <il  feet  per  month. 


CM  IKK    KXiilNKKK    FROST  8  REPORT. 


15 


ordinary  working  ol  the  above  number,  to  which  accordingly  we 
have  been  necessarily  confined. 

The  two  drill  carriages  employed  are  larger  than  those  at 
East  End,  and  are  intended  to  carry  five  drills  each — in  all,  ten 
drills  working  at  the  breast  of  the  heading.  Assuming,  as  we 
may  safely,  that  the  rate  of  progress  is  proportional  to  the  num- 
ber of  drills  employed,  ten  drills  would  advance  100  feet  per 
month;  and  with  full  power  provided  and  further  experience  to 
be  acquired  by  the  workmen,  this  and  even  greater  average  rates 
of  monthly  progress  can  be  made  and  maintained. 

These  headings  are  run  at  top,  i.  e.,  above  the  excavations 
hereafter  to  be  made,  and  of  such  height,  and  top  outline  as  to 
correspond  with  the  roof  of  the  completed  tunnel. 

Amounts  of  progress  upon  this  section  of  the  work  during 
present  and  preceding  year  are  exhibited  in  the  following  com- 
parative table  : — 


West  Shaft  Section. 

Heading  and  Adit. 

Enlargement. 

Linear  Feet. 

Cubic  Yards. 

Linear  Feet. 

Cubic  Yards. 

YEAR  ENDING 

November  1,  1867, 
November  1,  1868, 

543 

1280 

2349 
4696 

161 

82 

2100 

488 

The  limited  employment  of  Nitro-Glycerm  made  previous  to 
August  1st,  had  been  directed  to  excavations  of  enlargement, 
which  very  nearly  resemble  open  cut  work.  The  experience  of 
the  two  months,  August  and  September,  is  all  we  have  that 
throws  direct  light  upon  its  value  in  mining  operations,  using 
this  phrase  in  its  more  limited  sense,  as  applied  to  advance  of 
beading  only.  The  varying  hardness  and  tenacity  of  rock  and 
attendant  conditions,  m-ike  material  variations  in  the  pro- 
of separate  days  or  weeks,  even  in  the  same  drift  and  with 
th  •  -ame  mean-  and  appliances  of  working. 

For  the  reasons  thn-  stated,  actual  records  of  advance  without 

full   knowledge  and  discussion  of  all  attendant  circumstances, 

and   more    especially    when    confined  to  short  periods,  must  not 

Id  conclu>ive  in  regard  to  the   measure  of  advantage  to  be 

derived  from  it-  use.      We  cannot  claim  that  in  this  short  time, 


CHIEF    ENGINEER    FROST  S    REPORT. 


full  knowledge  as  to  its  best  possible  application  has  been  ob- 
tained. Its  superiority  over  the  powder  ordinarily  used  in 
blasting,  as  demonstrated  by  our  experience  may  be  briefly 
expressed  in  the  following  items  : 

u  1.  Less  number  of  holes  drilled  in  proportion  to  area  of  face 
carried  forward.  Estimated  saving  33  per  cent. 

"  2.  Greater  depth  of  holes  permissable.  Average  depth  of 
Nitro-Glycerin,  42  inches  ;  for  blasting  powder,  30  inches. 

"  3.  More  complete  avail  of  the  full  depth  of  hole  drilled. 
The  greatly  superior  explosive  power  of  the  Nitre-Glycerin 
rarely  fails  to  take  out  the  rock  to  the  full  depth  of  the  hole. 
Powder  often  comes  short  of  this,  and  by  reason  of  this  loss  of 
useful  effect,  a  large  percentage  of  additional  drilling  becomes 
necessary. 

"  In  all  the  foregoing  comparison,  I  assume  it  to  be  understood 
that  simultaneous  blasting  by  electric  battery  is  employed.  The 
great  economy  of  force  secured  thereby,  whenever  hard  rock 
may  be  encountered,  is  admitted  by  all  conversant  with  the 
matter,  and  since  the  early  part  of  the  Summer,  I  have  continu- 
ously employed  it  in  both  the  headings  advancing  into  the 
mountain. 

"  It  is  hoped  and  expected  that  further  experience  will  demon- 
strate an  increase  in  each  of  the  several  items  of  advantage 
resulting  from  Glycerin  blasting  ;  and  it  is  only  claimed  that 
the  best  use  was  made  of  tho  short  term  of  experiment  afforded, 
and  the  most  faithful  and  diligent  effort  was  put  forth  to  attain 
the  best  results  and  greatest  benefit  therefrom  to  the  Common- 
wealth. 

"It  was  a  source  of  great  disappointment  that  Professor 
Mowbray  should  have  been  unable  sooner  to  provide  a  continu- 
ous supply  of  the  explosive,  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  a  small 
quantity  was  furnished  earlier  in  the  year,  it  is  appropriate  to 
make  mention  of  the  obstacles  which  for  a  time  delayed  its 
further  manufacture.  The  first  lot  produced  was  made  with 
imported  acids,  reaching  the  actual  standard  of  purity  repiv 
ed.  In  providing  for  more  extended  operations,  acids  were 
ordered  of  American  works  of  the  same  expressed  .standard,  but 
these  when  received,  were  found  so  far  below  requirement,  that 
a  separate  process  of  purification  became  necessary.  For  this 
process,  retorts  of  a  special  pattern  not  to  be  procured  in  market, 


[DENT     IX     MACA/IXK.  17 

had  to  he  manufactured,  and  separate  WOT  d,  and  in  the 

\-  for  which  wa-  not  foreseen,  much  delay  was 

unavoidably  cm-omit ••!•.•  1.      I  have   been   fully  satisfied  through- 

out  of    Profe— or   Mowbray's  ear:  're  fully  to  meet   the 

•rations  of  tin-  (Jommi»ioner>  and  of  the  public,  and  deem 
it  proper  to  make  this  general  statement  of  the  morn  important 
circumstances,  unanticipated,  and  therefore,  h-.'yond  his  control, 
which  disappointed  his  purp. 

I  have  been  thus  explicit  in  narrating  the  various  details  con- 
nected with  the  intro  luetion  of  Nltro-CHycerin  at  the   II  - 
Tunnel,  in  order  that  full  justice  might  to  the  gentlemen 

who-e  enterprise  and  authority  were  necessary  to  bear  up  against 
the  prejudices  which  the  three  explosions  hereinbefore  referred 
to  had  caused  on  the  public  mind.  It  is  now  five  years  since  I 
commenced,  and  have  with  slight  intermission,  continued,  to 
manufacture  this  explosive,  and  during  this  whole  period  but  two 
accidents  have  occurred  at  my  work-.  The  first  occurred  on 
the  23rd  of  December,  1870,  to  my  foreman,  who  I  surmised, 
in  the  absence  of  proof,  in  removing  the  clinkers  from  the  heater, 
may  have  thrown  a  red  hot  coal  on  to  the  inflammable  floor 
boards  of  the  magazine,  moistened  witli  Nitro-Glycerin  spilt 
during  three  years  use,  whilst  adding  fuel  to  the  parlor  stove 
which  wanned  it.  It  i>  a  poor  consolation  that  Mr.  Velsor,  the 
foreman,  who  had  been  engaged  with  me  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  past  ten  years,  had  finished  his  day's  work  and  was 
nzine  for  a  bath  house,  probably  on  account  of  its 
seclusion.  Universally  respected,  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
the  properties  of  N.tro-Glycerin,  careful  and  u.ihring,  cool, 
courage,  m-.  and  without  bravado,  hi-  superinte  .'  the 

ry  when-  thousands  of  pounds  of  this  exp  rere  b -ing 

handled,  and  in  the  course  of  distribution  to  different  points  of 
the  United  :-  lily  and  cpiietly  overcoming  the 

dread  of  this  powerful   bla-tii ;.  :   accompanying   me  and 

aidin_  -r  difficult   operations  of  -ubmarine  blasting,  in 

every  ca.-<-  without  a  shadow  of  accident,  lead  to  one  conclusion, 
that  some  slip  of  the  hand,  failure  of  a  muscle,  started  a  flame, 
which  in  a  maga/ine  crowded  with  ^  itro-Glycerin 

no  human  power  could  anv-t,  but  which  I  am  satisfied,  his 
cour:  .  of  duty  led  him  to  attempt,  and  thereby  sacri- 

ficed ]n>  valuable  life. 


18  ACCIDENT    IN    MAGAZINE. 

The  new  magazine  had  hardly  been  completed,  and  stored 
with  JSTitro- Glycerin,  when  on  Sunday  morning,  6:30  o'clock, 
March  12,  '71,  the  neighborhood  was  startled  by  another  explo- 
sion of  sixteen  hundred  pounds  of  Nitro-Glycerm.  The  cause 
of  this  last  explosion,  was  continuous  overheating  of  the  maga- 
zine. Work  at  the  factory  had  been  suspended  for  a  week,  the 
heating  arrangement  was  now  effected  by  steam,  in  order  to 
avoid  a  possibility  of  actual  fire,  the  weather  for  several  days  had 
been  close  and  muggy, — some  parties  who  had  visited  the  mag- 
azine remarked  to  me  afterwards,  they  had  noticed  a  hot,  close 
air,  similar  to  that  experienced  on  entering  the  drying  room  of 
a  print  factory,  whilst  the  watchman  confessed  he  had  neglected 
to  examine  the  thermometer,  made  up  his  fire  under  the  boiler, 
and  gone  to  bed.  .  I  had  been  summoned  during  the  previous 
week  to  Washington,  taken  down  with  sickness  and  unable  to 
return  home, — the  new  foreman  having  been  closely  at  work 
without  any  Christmas  vacation,  owing  to  the  previous  accident, 
availed  himself  with  my  permission,  (during  the  suspension  of 
work  at  the  factory)  to  visit  New  York.  Fortunately  this  acci- 
dent involved  no  damage  to  life  or  limb,  whilst  a  very  instructive 
lesson  was  taught  in  the  following  circumstance :  within  twelve 
feet  of  the  magazine  was  a  shed,  16x8  containing  twelve  50  Ib. 
cans  of  congealed  Nitro- Glycerin  ready  for  shipment.  This  shed 
was  utterly  destroyed,  the  floor  blasted  to  splinters,  the  joists 
rent  to  fragments,  the  cans  of  congealed  Nitro-Glycerin  driven 
into  the  ground,  the  tin  of  which  they  were  composed  perforated, 
contorted,  battered,  and  portions  of  tin  and  Nitro-Glycerin  sliced 
oft  but  not  exploded.  Now,  this  fact  proves  one  of  two  things, 
either  that  the  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin  made  by  the  Mowbray  process, 
differs  from  the  German  Nitro-Glycerin  in  its  properties,  or  the 
statements  printed  in  the  foreign  journals  as  quoted  again  and 
again  that  Nitro-Glycerin  when  congealed  is  more  dangerous 
than  when  in  a  fluid  state,  are  erroneous. 

The  following  incident  is,  to  say  the  least,  instructive :  during 
the  severe  winter  of  1867  and  1868,  the  Deerfield  dam  became 
obstructed  with  ice,  and  it  was  important  that  it  should  be  cleared 
out  without  delay  ;  W.  P.  Granger,  Esq.,  engineer  in  charge, 
determined  to  attempt  its  removal  by  a  blast  of  Nitro-Glycerin. 
In  order  to  appreciate  the  following  details,  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  current  literature  of  this  explosive  distinctly  assert- 


»  B&t  T  T 


19 

ed  that  when  :<>u<-h  or  jar  was  sutl! 

'rro-Glyc.'Hn.  Mr.  Grander  desired  me  to  prepare 
t«>r  him,  ten  cartridges,  and  as  he  had  to  carry  them  in  his  sleigh 
from  the  West  end  of  the  Tunnel  to  the  East  end  or  Deerfield 
dam,  a  distance  of  nine  m  -r  the  mountain,  he  requested 

them  to  be  packed  in  such  a  way  that  they  would  not  he  affect- 
ed by  the  inclement  weather.  I  therefore  caused  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin  to  be  warmed  up  to  90°,  warmed  the  cartridges,  and 
after  charging  them,  packed  them  in  a  box  with  sawdust  that 
had  been  heated  to  the  same  temperature  ;  the  box  was  tied  to 
the  back  of  the  sleigh,  with  a  buffalo  robe  thrown  over  it  ;  in 
floundering  across  the  divide  where  banks,  road,  hedge  and 
water  courses  were  indistinguishable  beneath  the  drifted  snow; 
horse,  sleigh  and  driver  were  upset,  the  box  of  cartridges  got 
loose,  and  were  spread  indiscriminately  over  the  snow  ;  after 
rectifying  this  mishap,  picking  up  the  various  contents  of  sleigh, 
and  getting  ready  to  start  again,  it  occurred  to  Mr.  Granger  to 
examine  his  cartridges;  his  feelings  may  be  imagined  when  he 
discovered  the  Nitro-Glycerin  frozen  solid  ;  to  have  left  them 
behind  and  proceeded  to  the  dam  where  miners,  engineers  and 
laborers  were  waiting  to  use  this  then  much  dreaded  explosive, 
would  never  do,  so  accepting  the  situation  he  replaced  them  in 
the  case,  and  laying  it  between  his  feet  proceeded  on  his  way, 
thinking  a  heap  but  saying  nothing;  arrived,  he  forthwith  attach- 
ed fuse,  exploder,  powder  and  some  gun  cotton,  and  inserted 
the  cartridge  in  the  ice ;  lighting  the  fuse  he  retired  to  a  proper 
ice  to  watch  the  explosion;  presently  a  sharp  crack  indicat- 
ed that  the  fuse  had  done  its  work,  and  on  proc  •  ling  t  »  the 
hole  drilled  in  the  ice,  it  was  found  that  fragments  of  the  copper 
cap  were  imbedded  in  the  solid  cylinder  of  congealed  Xitro- 
Glycerin,  which  was  driven  through  and  out  of  the  tin  cartridge 
into  the  anchor  ice  beneath,  but  not  exploded.  A  second 
attempt  v.  ided  with  like  iv>'dts.  Foiled  in  attempting 

plode  tli'  NltTO-Glycerm,    Mr.  Granger  thawed  the 

contents  of  another  cartridge,  attached  the  tuse  and  exploder  as 
PC  ;  this  time  the  explosion  was  entirely  successtul.  From 
that  day  I  have  never  transported  Nitro-Glycerin  except  in  a 
frozen  condition,  and  to  that  lesson  are  we  indebted  for  the  safe 
transmission  of  more  tl  an  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
pounds  of  this  explosive,  over  the  roughest  roads  of  New  Hamp- 


20  SUBMARINE    BLASTING. 


shire,  Vermont,  Massachusetts,  New  York,  and  the  coal  and  oil 
regions  of  Pennsylvania,  in  spring  wagons  with  our  own  teams. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Submarine  Blasting,— Erie   Harbor,— Dimon's   Reef,    N. 
Y.,— Coenties  Reef,  N.  Y.,— Oil  Wells,  Penn. 

In  the  winter  1869,  1870,  I  received  a  communication  from 
the  engineer  in  charge,  Major  G.  Clinton  Gardiner,  formerly 
of  the  United  States  Boundary  Line  Survey,  concerning  the 
harbor  improvements  in  Erie,  Penn.,  under  W.  A.  Baldwin, 
General  Superintendent  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Eailroad, 
with  a  view  to  blasting  in  the  harbor  of  Erie,  so  as  to  furnish 
from  15  to  17  feet  of  water  for  vessels  laying  alongside  of  their 
wharves,  instead  of  carrying  them  (the  wharves)  into  deep 
water ;  these  operations  were  entirely  successful,  and  I  subjoin 
the  report  of  Major  Gardiner  to  General  Parke,  IT.  S.  Engineer 
Corps,  written  previous  to  dredging.  The  certificates  of  Mr. 
Baldwin,  Superintendent  ;  F.  J.  Wilson,  Ass't  Engineer  ;  Chas. 
F.  Dtrabar,  contractor  for  the  dredging,  follow  Major  Gardiner's 
report.  These  certificates  it  will  be  observed,  were  given  after 
a  considerable  portion  of  the  rock  had  been  removed  by  the 
dredging  machine. 


21 

>•  K  KUOM   MA.JOR  G.   CLINTON  GARIMNKR  TO  (TK.XKKAI.  JOHN 
G.  PARKE,  Corps  of  Engineers,  Washington  City,  D.  C. 

OFFICE  OF  PHILADELPHIA  &  ERIE  RAILROAD.  ) 
Erie  Harbor— August  2nd,  1869.  5 

To  GENERAL  JOHN  G.  PARKE,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A. 

MY  dear  General:  Some  days  ago  I  received  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Geo.  M.  Mowhray,  who  is  the  patentee  of  a  most  valuable 
improvement  in  the  manufacture  of  Nitro-Glycerin.  He  being 
interested  in  having  his  material  used  in  the  improvements  at 
Hell  Gate,  requested  me  to  report  upon  the  experiment  in 
blasting  at  this  place."  Being  unknown  to  General  Newton,  and 
having  no  time  for  a  report,  I  take  the  liberty  of  writing  to  you 
on  the  subject. 

Since  leaving  the  United  States  Boundary  Survey,  I  have  been 
employed  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Railroad,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Ass't  Gen.  Superintendent,  Mr.  W.  A.  Baldwin, 
in  the  improvement  of  their  dock  at  this  terminus  of  the  road. 
The  water  at  the  end  of  the  main  pier  and  for  a  short  distance 
inshore,  on  either  side  of  the  pier,  is  over  14  feet  deep,  shoaling 
back  to  about  6  feet,  which  we  had  to  deepen  to  14  feet.  The 
bottom  is  a  smooth  hard  surface  of  shale  rock,  a  portion  of 
which  when  exposed  to  the  air  disintegrates,  while  other  parts 
-.ith'cieiitly  hard,  and  are  used  for,  building  purposes.  It  lies 
in  >trata  ot  about  eight  inches  to  twelve  inches  thickness,  which 
we  drilled  through  and  blasted  during  the  winter,  and  are  now 
dredging  the  rock.  The  process  of  drilling  was  in  the  primitive 
stvle,  with  hand  drills,  mostly  done  through  the  ice,  and  the 
blasting,  with  powder  in  cartridges  with  small  tubes  reach- 
ing to  the  surface  of  the  water,  through  which  the  match  was 
conducted  to  the  powder.  Firing  however,  was  afterwards  done 
by  dropping  a  red  hot  nail  down  the  tube,  which  was  quite  an 
improvement  on  the  match,  and  gave  us  almost  simultaneous 
explosions.  Tin-  holes  drilled  were  5  feet  apart,  in  rows  of  5 
Vom  each  other,  and  the  largest  charge  of  powder  used  was 
a  cani-t"r  '2  inches  in  diameter  and  40  inches  long.  This  pro- 
used  to  some  extent  the  season  before,  it  was 
•  1  a-j;ain  lhi>  la>t  winter,  but  the  work  bein^  extended, 
sought  it  advisable  to  make  some  improvements  in  the 

mo  l'i  .      \  ter  a  correspondence  with  different  manu- 

facturers of  maehine   drills  we  found  no  one  of  them   readv  for 


22  MAJOE  G.  o.  GARDINER'S  REPORT. 

business  at  once,  and  before  we  were  able  to  make  terms,  our 
primitive  style  of  drilling  advanced  almost  to  completion.  We 
sent  to  Mr.  Mowbray  who  was  then  in  Titnsville,  Pennsylvania, 
to  try  his  Nitro-Glycerin^  and  made  an  experiment  in  a  square 
of  a  little  over  ten  yards,  where  the  rock  to  be  removed  was  over 
seven  feet  deep.  The  holes  were  drilled  a  greater  distance 
apart,  but  to  the  same  depth  as  used  for  powder  (15  feet  from 
surface  of  water).  In  this  square  we  blasted  about  230  square 
yards  of  rock,  using  50  pounds  of  Mtro-Glycerin  in  cartridges 
fired  in  rows  by  electricity,  but  without  a  face  of  rock  to  work 
from,  such  as  we  had  with  the  powder  blast.  This  would  have 
taken  125  Ibs.  powder.  Upon  reaching  the  place  with  the 
dredge,  we  found  the  rock  completely  crumbled,  RENDERING 
DREDGING  AS  EASY  AS  THAT  OF  GRAVEL,  and  to  the  depth  of  seven- 
teen feet,  while  with  the  powder  blasting  we  have  had  trouble, 
and  in  two  cases  had  to  blast  again  to  obtain  fourteen  feet  of 
water,  and  even  then  have  to  lift  rock  measuring  ten  and 
twelve  cubic  feet.  Nitro-Glycerin  is  certainly  far  superior 
in  its  effect,  and  would  have  been  much  cheaper  to  use  in 
this  case.  Gunpowder  does  not  blast  to  the  depth  of  the 
holes  "drilled,  whilst  Nitro-Glycerin  tears  the  rock  from  the 
bottom,  and  here  seems  to  have  penetrated  three  feet  beyond. 
The  reason  it  was  not  used  before,  was  the  difficulty  in  procuring 
it.  The  nearest  factory  was  that  of  Mr.  Mowbray  at  Titusville, 
and  the  local  as  well  as  state  laws  were  such  that  it  could  not  be 
transported,  except  by  private  conveyance,  which  added  to  its 
cost.  That  used  was  carried  to  Corry  in  Mr.  Mowbray's  carriage, 
over  a  very  rough  road,  and  thence  by  special  train  to  this  place. 
If  pure,  the  danger  in  the  use  of  Nitro-Glycerin  is  no  greater 
than  that  of  powder,  and  the  premature  explosions  that  have 
proved  so  fatal  in  many  instances,  have  without  doubt  been  caused 
by  decomposition,  which  was  the  result  of  imperfect  manufacture. 
If  regularly  manufactured,  accidents  will  be  the  result  only  of 
inexperience  or  the  neglect  of  instructions  from  those  having 
experience.  In  the  manufacture,  the  nitrous  vapours  that  are 
disengaged  at  the  time  of  mixing,  if  not  entirely  expelled,  will 
mnke  it  liable  to  explosion  from  any  concussion,  and  from  Mr. 
.Mowbniy's  experience  in  a  number  of  instances  with  that  inann- 
iMctured  by  himself,  I  should  ju  Ige  his  Nitro-Gly^rin  to  be  as 
safe  as  powder  in  the  hands  of  experienced  persons.  It  is  of  a 


MA.loR     <f.     ('.     (iAKDI.NKuV     KKl'oRT.  23 

light  yellowish  color,  with  pungent  aromatic  taste,  rather  sweet 
than  otherwise,  and  is  so  poisonous,  that  in  handling,  should 
one  allow  it  to  remain  on  liis  hands,  it  would  produce  intense 
head  ache.  It  does  not  explode  from  the  application  of  flame 
to  its  surface,  vet  will  hum,  hut  explodes  only  from  severe 
concussion,  as  hy  the  explosion  of  detonating  mixtures  and 
fulminai 

1  write  to  you  hoping  you  will  communicate  any  information 
my  letter  may  contain  to  General  Xewton,  as  it  may  serve  Mr. 
Mowbray,  who  [  think  has  made  a  great  improvement  in  the 
manufacture  of  Nitre-Glycerin,  and  as  he  gives  it  his  personal 
attention,  I  have  no  doubt  it  is  superior  to  any  now  used. 

L  was  much  pleased  to  receive  the  report  of  the  Masting  in 
California,  and  should  interesting  professional  papers  be  pub- 
lished by  the  Bureau,  let  me  beg  you  will  ivim-mber 

Your  sincere  friend, 

G.   CLINTON  GARDINER. 

The  experiments  above  narrated  and  conducted  under  the 
supervision  of  Major  Gardiner,  were  continued,  (on  the  removal 
of  the  Major  to  the  Pennsylvania  Central's  works  at  Altoona,)  by 
F.  J.  Wilson,  under  General  Superintendent  Wm.  A.  Baldwin, 
and  the  results  expected  were  entirely  fulfilled,  us  will  !>•• 
by  the  subjoined  communication-  : 

SUBMARINE  I>I.ASTIN<;  WITH  NITEO-GLYCERIN  ;   RESULTS  AS  COM- 

PARED  WITH    liLASTING-PoWDEK,   IN    Eli  IK    lL\Ki;oK.    MAY,    1870. 

Philadelphia  and   Erie  R.  R.  ;    Pennsylvania  R.  R.  Co.,  L 

Oiliee  of  the  General  Superintendent,  ) 
KKIE,  PKNN.,  May  IJUli,  "To.       J 

To  GEO.  M.  MOWKKAY. 

North  Adams, 


- 
Dear  Sir  :    Tin-  comparative  rallies  of  the  two  materials,  (inn- 

Powder   and    X  it  ]•<»-(  rlye.  -rin,   a>  to    results   and    actual   cost    for 

blasting    in  the   harbor    at  Erie,    cannot    be    positively    obtained 

until  the  dredging  i>  finished;   when  this  year's  operations  with 

Nitro-Glycerin,  can  be  compared  with  that  of  la-t  \-,-ar  done  with 

powder.      The    ]•!••  rim>   far   are  so    favorable,    however,  I 

that  the  u-e  of  N"itT  i'in  was  not  adopted  la-t  year. 

On    the    completion  ot  the    work   I  .-hall  be    pleased  to  furnish 


24:  BLASTING    IN    EKIE    H-ARBOR. 

you  with  statements  of  comparative  results,  feeling  confident 
they  will  prove  a  more  full  satisfactory  and  valuable  endorsement 
of  your  Nitro-Glycerin  for  submarine  use,  than  any  theoretically 
based  opinion  can  be. 

I  enclose  you  copy  of  reports  of  Mr.  F.  J.  Wilson,  Engineer 
in  charge  of  Erie  Harbor  Works,   and  of  Mr.  Dunbar,  contrac- 
tor for  dredging,  which  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the  economical 
results  to  us  from  the  use  of  your  Nitro- Glycerin. 
Yours  truly, 

WM.  A.  BALDWIN,  Geii'l  Supt. 


ERIE,   Penn.,  May  16th,  1870. 
WM.  A.  BALDWIN,  Esq., 

Gen'l  Supt.  P.  and  E.  Kailroad. 

Dear  Sir :  Below  please  find  a  statement  of  comparative  cost 
of  drilling  and  blasting  where  Nitro-Glycerin  is  vised.  The  1240 
Ibs.  of  Nitro-Glycerin  were  used  over  an  area  of  26,700  sq.  feet, 
with  an  average  depth  of  rock  of  about  seven  and  seven-tenths 
feet,  making  11,500  cub.  yards  of  rock  measured  in  the  bed. 
Cost  of  drilling  and  blasting  (using  Nitro-Glyeerin),  $5,119  67. 
Cost  of  drilling  and  blasting  (using  Powder),  7,475  73. 

Difference  of  cost  in  favor  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  2,356  06. 

The  difference  in  favor  of  Mtro-Glycerin  in  dredging  and 
in  time  saved  is  not  taken  into  consideration  in  the  above  (see 
Capt.  Dunbar's  letter). 

Very  respectfully, 

F.  J.  WILSON,  Ass't  Engineer. 


ERIE,  May  18th,  1870. 
To  W.  A.  BALDWIN,  Esq., 

Gen'l.  Supt.  P.  and  E.  Eailroad, 

Dear  Sir  :  In  reply  to  your  inquiry  as  to  the  relative  differ- 
ence in  dredging  rock  blasted-  by  Nitm-Glyccrin  and  that 
blasted  by  Powder,  [  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  [  am 
certain  \ve  can  dredge  twice  the  number  of  cubic,  yards  when.*  it 


MTko-<,!.Y<'KIM.\,     Dl-.VUN     AND     I'oWDKR.  25 


is  blasted  with  tin'  Nitro-Glycerin.  I  think  I  could  speak 
and  say  three  yards  t«»  one  where  the  rock  is  hard.  Tn  fact, 
there  arc  places  where  we  could  do  nothing  with  the  Powder 
blasting,  when  we  have  no  trouble  with  the  Nitro-Glycerin. 

Truly  yours, 

CHAS.  F.  DUNBAR, 

Firm  of  Lee  &  Dunbar. 


.  —  Submarine  drilling  and  blasting  withNitro-Glycerin 
4:4:  £  cents  per  cubic  yard.     Gun-powder  costs  66  f  cents  per 
cubic-  yard.    Nitro-Glycerin  used,  one  ounce  and  six-tenths  of  an 
ounce  per  cubic  yard  of  rock  removed. 

DIMON'S  REEF,  NEW  YORK  HARBOR. 

General  Newton,  U.  S.  Corps  of  Engineers,  who  has  been 
entrusted  with  the  expenditure  of  the  annual  appropriation  for 
the  improvements  in  New  York  harbor,  having  constructed  a 
floating  drilling  apparatus,  with  steam  power  to  capstans,  four 
steam  derricks,  and  direct  engines  to  lift  the  drop-drills,  applied 
to  me  (1870)  first,  to  enter  upon  a  competitive  test,  with  Nitro- 
Glycerin  as  compared  with  Dnalin,  and  with  blasting  powder, 
into  which  a  reel  of  lightning  fuse  was  inserted,  to  ensure  more 

•f  and  rapid  combustion  of  the  powder.  These  tests  were 
conducted  at  Hell  Gate,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Reith- 
eimer  ;  Mr.  H.  H.  Pratt,  with  Nitro-Glycerin,  on  my  behalf; 
Mr.  Ditmar  with  Dualin,  an  1  Mr.  Gomez,  for  the  powder  and 
lightning  fus'j  blasts,  who  respectively  directed  the  holes  to 
be  drilled,  charged  them,  and  fired  the  several  charges.  The 
results  were  decisive  of  the  superiority  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  over 
both  Dualin,  and  Blasting-Powder,  even  when  assisted  by  a  coil 
of  lightning  or  fulminating  fuse,  inserted  in  the  powder.  Two 
points  were  elicited,  a-  reported  by  my  operator;  first  the  Nitro- 
(rl\-.-  -n'n  t  -(re  i.  ut  in  >  invari  iMy  reaching  to  the  bottom, 

and  sometimes  beyond  the  bottom  of  the  drill-hole,  whilst  its 
explosion  was  so  instantaneous  it  did  not  cause  leakage  in  the 
with  Dualin.  Thereupon  I  wn<  invit"d  by  General 

on,  to  arrange  operation-  for  hla.-ting  at  Dimon's  licet', 
between  the  Staten  Island  Ferry  and  Governor's  Island.  Eight 
holes  had  been  drilled  in  a  circle  of  twenty  feet  diameter, 
with  a  ninth  or  central  hole,  thus  leaving  an  average  of  eight 


26 

feet  of  rock  between  each  drill  hole.  Finding  that  the  drilled 
holes  were  shaped  like  an  inverted  cone,  owing  to  the  omission 
of  the  reamer  ;  that  is,  whilst  the  drill,  jars,  sinker  bar,  cable 
and  cable  clutch  of  the  Pennsylvania  oil  wells,  had  been  used, 
the  provision  for  remedying  the  effect  of  the  worn  edges  of  the 
drill,  had  been  overlooked,  and  thus  a  very  disadvantageous  form 
of  hole,  viz  :  funnel  shaped,  was  the  result,  necessitating  the  use 
of  a  cartridge,  whose  diameter  must  not  exceed  that  of  the 
smallest,  which  in  this  case  was  the  lowest  part  of  the  drilled 
hole.  The  irregularity,  and  jagged  edge  of  these  unreamed 
holes,  had  also  to  be  guarded  against,  lest  the  friction  of  any 
Nitro-Glycerin  moistening  the  outside  of  the  cartridge,  might 
cause  a  casualty.  I  therefore  determined,  until  better  drilling 
could  be  secured,  to  use  2  J  inch  two-ply  rubber  hose  for 
cartridges,  a  material  by  no  means  desirable,  because  it  afforded 
a  cushion  between  the  rock  and  the  blast,  but  it  became  a 
necessity  from  the  funnel  shaped  drill  holes,  when  providing 
against  the  risk  of  premature  explosion.  The  holes  being  4  |- 
inches  in  diameter  at  the  upper  part,  and  barely  3  inches  at  the 
bottom  ;  the  cartridge  made  of  rubber  hose,  being  uniform 
throughout,  containing  a  column  of  liquid  Nitro-Glycerin,  2  \ 
indies  in  diameter  only,  and  6  feet  long  ;  at  the  upper  part  of  the 
holes  there  was  an  intervening  cushion  of  water  and  hose,  over 
1  inch  thick  ;  and  at  the  lower  part,  a  cushion  of  f  inch  of 
hose.  This  should  have  been  avoided,  and  I  have  mentioned 
these  details  as  a  caution  to  future  operators,  who  desire  the  full 
explosive  force  of  Nitre-Glycerin. 

The  depth  of  water  at  or  during  high- tide,  is  about  twenty- 
two  feet,  and  at  low  tide,  fourteen  to  fifteen  feet,  the  tide  run- 
ning four  miles  an  hour  with  an  amount  of  silty  matter,  drainage 
of  N.  Y.  City  sewerage,  rendering  it  impossible  for  a  diver  to 
distinguish  objects  one  foot  from  his  helmet.  Under  these 
circumstances  plugs  have  to  be  inserted  in  the  several  holes, 
each  plug  attached  to  the  other  by  a  rope,  so  as  to  enable  the 
•  diver  to  guide  himself  from  one  hole  to  the  other.  Owing  to 
various  interfering  circumstances  the  holes  were  only  ready  for 
blasting  on  the  16th  of  December,  1870  ;  and  the  second  day 
after  arrival  in  New  York,  accompanied  with  three  assistants, 
I  proceeded  to  the  work  ;  there  was  a  stiff  wind  blowing  from  the 
northwest,  which,  meeting  the  tide,  caused  a  chopping  sea ;  the 


KXl'KRIM  1-iNT-     IN    "1L     WI.  L>  7 

weather  was  cold   as  shown   by  tin-  crust  of  ice  attached   to   the 
The  frozen   Xitro-Glycerin  was  thawed  out  by  hot  water 
obtained  from  the  steam  boiler  on  board  the  scow. 

These  cartridges  were  lowered  to  the  diver  with  the  connect- 
ing wire,  fuse,  and  exploder  attached,  one  after  the  other,  occupy- 
ing twenty  minutes  ;  two  of  the  holes  being  too  small  to  allow 

artridge  to  be  fully  inserted,  these  projected,  one  about 
eighteen  inches,  the  other  one  foot  above  the  surface  of  the  holes; 
the  diver,  moreover,  became  entangled  in  the  wires  and  in  order 

M-icate  him,  it  was  necessary  twice  to  haul  him  to  the  surface, 
after  which  considerable  time  was  occupied  in  moving  the  seow 
from  over  the  >\tQ  of  the  intended  explosion,  before  the  order 
could  be  given  to  fire.  The  amount  of  Nitro-Glycerin  used  to 
fill  the  nine  cartridges,  was  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  pounds. 
On  the  order  being  given,  the  charge  was  successfully  fired. 
Similar  charges  of  nine  cartridges,  with  more  perfect  holes  and 
a  heavier  charge  were  fired  three  weeks  afterwards. 

XITRO-GLYCERIN  TORPEDOES  IN  OIL  WELLS. — The  Legislature 
of  Massachusetts  having  resolved  to  place  the  further  construc- 
tion of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel  under  contract,  pending  the  trans- 
fer from  October,  1868,  to  April,  1869,  from  State  man- 
agement to  the  present  contractors,  Messrs.  F.  Shanly  ife  Co. 
I  proceeded  to  the  Oil  Region,  and  there  verified  the  fact  that 
Xitro-Glycerin,  properly  ex ploded,  i.  e.,  the  charge  completely 
exploded,  was  more  efficient  in  causing  an  increased  yield  of  oil 
when  applied  to  wells  ceasing  or  diminishing  their  yield,  than 
any  other  material.  Ehrhardt's  powder,  Oriental  powder,  and 
ordinary  blasting  powder,  had  been  used  very  generally,  and 
Xitro-Glycerin  had  been  alleged  to  have  been  used,  but  the 
results  were  unsatisfactory  :  as  soon  however,  as  we  started  a 
Xitro-Glycerin  factory  at  Titusville,  and  inserted  charges  vary- 
ing from  six  pounds  to  fifty  pounds,  the  results  were  so 
adva:  to  the  well  owners,  that  none  others  would  be 

.  while  Xitro-(41yerrin  could  be  obtained.  The  first  explo- 
sion was  in  1).  Crossle-y's  well  on  the  Weed  farm,  a  charge  of 
six  pounds  having  been  inserted,  and  fired.  The  well  whose 
previous  l»e.-t  vit-ld  had  only  amounted  to  six  barrels  per  day, 
increased  forthwith  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  barrels  of 

•  leuin  per  day,  and  settled  down  to  forty  barrels  per  day, 
which  wt-re  obtained  daily  tor  nearly  a  year.  On  the  road  to 
Enterprise  at  the  McKinney  &  Prior  well,  the  explosion  of  six 


28  THE    ROBERTA    PATENT. 


pounds  of  Nitro-Glycerin  invariably  started  the  well  to  flow  at 
the  rate  of  about  one  hundred  barrels  in  twenty-four  hours. 
At  the  Crocker  wells  on  the  Weed  farm,  the  increase  after  an 
explosion  of  Nitro-Glycerin  was  usually  from  ten  barrel*  to 
one  hundred  and  twenty.  After  a  charge  of  Nitro-Glycerin  in 
an  oil  well,  the  yield  generally  rises  to  the  highest  point  it  has 
ever  attained,  and  thence  gradually  diminishes  therefrom, 
apparently  owing  to  an  accumulation  of  paraffine  deposited-  in 
the  interstices  of  the  walls  of  the  well.  This  has  led  to  the 
pom-ing  down  the  well,  benzine,  and  pumping  same  out  with 
the  oil,  and  is  another  form  of  recuperating  the  yield  of  oil.  As 
the  process  of  increasing  the  production  of  Petroleum  in  oil 
wells,  by  means  of  the  explosion  of  gunpowder  or  its  equivalent, 
substantially  as  described  in  the  specification  of  E.  O.  L.  Roberts, 
ante-dated  May  20,  1866,  was  claimed  by  the  patentee  to  cover 
the  use  of  Nitro-Glycerin  and  every  known  or  hereafter 
to  be  invented  method  of  effecting  an  explosion  in  an  oil  well, 
and  as  the  case  has  hereto  been  presented  in  the  courts,  this 
claim  has  been  sustained. 

When,  therefore,  the  contractors  commenced  operations  on. 
their  work  at  the  Tunnel,  I  resumed  my  manufacture  of  Nitro- 
Glycerin  lor  that  work,  leaving  the  oil  region,  where  the  oil 
operators  and  producers  have  since  been  incessantly  litigating 
the  validity  of  the  Roberts  patents  above  referred  to,  with,  how- 
ever, up  to  the  present  date,  indifferent  success.  The  average 
of  greatly  increased  production  in  exhausted  wells,  so  far  as  my 
experience  extended,  during  four  months  at  one  hundred  wells, 
was  that  80  per  cent,  were  benefited,  and  in  about  "20  per  cent, 
no  marked  results  were  obtained.  When  the  question  as  to 
whether  this  form  of  blasting,  viz  :  in  oil  wells,  is  p;itentable  has 
been  decided,  it  will  be  time  to  renew  the  careful  application  of 
Nitro-Glycerin  in  oil  wells,  but  at  present,  the  careless  handling, 
the  puisuit  <4^wealth  regard  les>  of  the  lives  of  the  employed,  and 
the  uiiM-rupiilons  assertion  prevalent  among  those  interoted  in 
the  pM ten* -referred  to,  is  depriving  the  oil  producers  of  a  valua- 
ble agent.  Since,  however,  the  present  yield  of  oil  iV  ample  for 
the  consumption,  this,  so  far  as  the  public  is  concerned,  is  of  less 
moment  than  it  is  to  the  producers,  who,  by  the  time  economical 
and  useful  blasting  in  oil  wells  is  needed  to  bring  up  the  yield 
to  the  ever  increasing  demand,  will  have  finally  disposed  ot  this 
patent  litigation. 


• 


111 


OF 


CHAPTER   III. 


Nitro-Glycerin  Considered  in  its  Chemical  Details. 

GI.Y<  KRIN,  the  base  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  is  produced  from  most  of 
the  fixed  oils  and  solid  fats  by  the  process  of  saponification,  that 
treating  these  fatty  bodies  with  an  alkali,  or  other  metallic 
oxide,  in  presence  of  water,  or  with  water  itself  at  a  high  tem- 
perature.    For  many  years  the  Glycerin  of  commerce  was  pro- 
duced from    olive   oil,  by  boiling,  in   the    presence    of   water,, 
litharge,  which  yielded  the  well  known  lead  plaster  or  diachy- 
lon, and  a  >  w«M'rish  liquid,   which  by  evaporation  of  the  water, 
was  found  to  be  Glycerin;  thus  procured,  however,   it  was  apt 
••ontaminated  with  lead,  and  therefore  very  objectionable 
for  medical  purposes.     The  sources  whence  it  is  now  procured, 
are,  the  alkaline  mother  liquor  of  the  soap  works,  when  the  soap 
•arated  by  common  salt:  also  the  residue  of  the  manufac 
ture  of  stearic  acid  for  candles,  by  heating    neutral  fats   with 
water  or  with   steam,  (Tilghmann's  j.r  and  the  action  of 

muriatic  acid  on  castor  oil.  It  is  apt  to  be  contaminated  with 
sulphuric  acid,  oxalic  acid,  lead,  and  more  generally  with  un- 
crv>talli/able  Higais.  The  demand  ha>  vastly  increased  of  late 
-  tor  medical  pnrpo>r.-.  clastic  -ponge,  and  retaining  mois- 
ture in  tohacco,  print  works,  as  a  pre>ervinir  agent,  and  for -float- 
ing eoinpa--".-.  etc.,  etc. 

The  following  are  the  synonyms  of  Xitro-Glycerin  ;   Nitrate 

ot  Oxide  of  Lipyl,  (  BKK/.KI.II  >  i :  Glonuin,   Mono-Nitro-Glyeerin, 

tro-Glyccrin,    Tri-Xitro-Glycerin,  (LFK.-KK)  —  Symbol,  (C6 

H5,)  O  .  :;\<r';  (Hydro-en  =  1.  Oxygen  =  8,)  the  equivalent 

or  atomic  weight  i>  147. 


30  NITRO-GLYCKRIN    POISON  OU3. 

Pure  Nitro-Glycerin  is  nearly  colorless ;  usually,  however, 
owing  to  coloring  matter  contained  in  the  Glycerin  used  in  its 
manufacture,  it  is  of  a  light  yellow-tinted  color,  oily,  without 
odor,  but  having  an  aromatic  taste,  Sp.  Gr.  1.6  at  60°  F.,  very 
insoluble  in  water;  mixes  with  alcohol  (one  part  to  tour  parts) 
and  ether;  it  separates  from  the  alcoholic  solution  by  the  addi- 
tion of  water.  A  vinous  taste  is  perceptible  10  the  tongue,  the 
maxillary  glands  are  stimulated,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  indi- 
vidual who  has  tasted  it  from  a  pin's  point  for  the  first  time,  is 
conscious  of  a  persistent,  throbbing  headache.  Slightly  touching 
it  with  the  hands  produces  a  like  effect;  after  a  few  days  of  fre- 
quent handling,  however,  the  system  becomes  less  susceptible  to 
these  effects,  and  workmen  constantly  employed  in  its  manufac- 
ture are  not  affected  by  it.  It  is  poisonous,  a  small  quantity 
being  sufficient  to  kill  a  dog,  (SOBRERO).  It  decomposes  at  320° 
F.,  giving  out  red  vapors,  and  explodes  at  a  higher  temperature, 
or  by  concussion  or  percussion,  crashing  the  containing  vessel; 
it  ignites  by  flame,  and  burns  without  explosion,  yielding  a  light 
ethereal  flame  of  considerable  volume. 

Pure  Nitro-Glycerin  may  be  kept  for  a  year  unchanged,  (De 
Yrij).  The  writer  has  exposed  it  to  frost,  sun  and  rain,  for 
three  years,  and  found  it  unchanged.  Unless  perfectly  pure, 
however,  it  rapidly  changes,  becoming  of  an  orange  yellow 
color,  evolving  fumes,  and  seems  to  become  a  wholly  differing 
compound,  being  difficult,  when  thus  changed,  to  congeal,  except 
at  a  much  lower  temperature  than  45°  F.,  and  is  more  readily 
exploded. 

It  very  easily  decomposes  by  drying  in  a  warm  room  with 
rarefied  air,  (WILLIAMSON). 

It  is  instantly  decomposed  when  dissolved  in  alcohol,  by  add- 
ing an  alcoholic  solution  of  caustic  potash,  the  reaction  being 
so  violent  as  to  eject  the  mixture  from  the  test  tube. 

Nitro-Glycerin  in  contact  with  the  following  salts  :  nitrates  of 
lime,  cobalt,  soda,  barytes  and  potash  ;  chlorides  of  calcium,  of 
barium;  perchloridc  of  iron,  carbonate  of  lime,  sulphates  of  pot- 
ash, lime  and  soda,  was  found  unchanged  after  a  year's  exposure. 

INCOMPATIBLES  :  nitrate  of  silver  precipitates  black  oxide  of 
silver ;  nitrate  of  copper  givo  a  precipitate  of  peroxide  of  copper, 
the  Nitro-Glycerin  remaining,  however,  bright  and  apparently 
unchanged.  In  a  solution  of  nitrate  of  mercury,  there  appears 
a  white  film,  a  bubble  of  protoxide  of  azote,  apparently  adherent 


l\.  -o.Ml'ATIlil.K-.  31 


to  the  Nitro-Glycerin.  Muriate  of  aininoiiia  >eem>  to  divide 
the  Nitro-Glycerin  into  two  liquids,  a  light  Him  supernatant, 
and  the  heavier  liquid  subjacent.  The  action  of  chloride  of 
mercury  (calomel)  is  but  very  slight.  Protochloride  ot  tin 
forms  a  precipitate  of  peroxide  of  tin,  the  residuary  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin  reflecting  light  powerfully,  and  as  brightly  as  a  diamond. 
J'.ichromate  of  potash  is  partly  reduced  to  chromate.  Sulphate 
of  copper  form-  a  very  slight  precipitate  of  oxide  of  copper,  with 
apparently  no  change  in  the  residuary  Nitro-Glycerin.  Sulphate 
of  iron  decomposes  it,  giving  a  voluminous  precipitate,  with 
evolution  of  nitrous  fumes.  Sulphuret  of  ammonia  decomposes 
it.  with  precipitation  of  sulphur.  Acetate  of  lead,  chlorine  water, 
ferridcvanide  of  potassium,  cyanide  of  potassium,  sulphocyanide 
of  potassium,  and  of  mercury,  nitroprusside  of  sodium  decompose 
it,  also  the  sulphurets  of  iron,  arid  potassium. 

The  action  of  tin,  iron,  and  lead,  slowly  decomposing  the 
Nitro-Glycerin,  especially  in  the  presence  of  an  acid,  indicates 
that  metals  having  an  affinity  for  oxygen,  are  the  most  active  in 
promoting  decomposition,  evolving  at  the  same  time  nitrous 
lume>.  or  protoxide  of  nitrogen,  whilst  the  residuary  Nitro- 
Glvcerin  does  not  seem  to  be  affected;  with  sulphuretted  hydro- 
gen, as  with  sulphuret  of  sodium,  potassium  and  ammonium, 
the  action  is  prompt,  and  if  these  reagents  be  added  in  sufficient 
quantity,  the  Nitro- Glycerin  is  wholly  decomposed,  sulphur  be- 
ing precipitated. 

Ascagne  Sobrero,  the  di.-coverer  of  Nitro-Glyceriu,  says:  it 
may  be  prepared  by  slowly  introducing  syrupy  Glycerin  into  a 
mixture  of  two  volume.-  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  to  one 
volume  of  nitric  acid,  Sp.  Gr.  1.4,  dropping  it  in  and  rapidly 
cooling.  It  r-eems  to  dissolve  in  this  mixture  without  any  notice- 
able reaction,  and  by  pouring  it  into  water,  the  ><>  formed 
Nitro-Glycerin  separates  from  it.  It  is  then  wa>hed  several 
.  i>  next  dissolved  in  ether,  and  after  evaporation 
(dangerou>  work  this)  is  finally  purified  over  sulphuric  acid. 

f)«  Vrij  recommends,  dissolving  100  grammes  of  Glycerin 
Sp.  Gr.  \.2*\'2  in  '200  c.c.  of  hydrated  nitric  acid  cooled  to  14°  F., 
taking  care  that  the  mixture  never  exceeds  in  temperature  32° 
F.  When  a  homogeneous  mixture  has  been  obtained,  200  c.  c. 
of  .-trong  >ulphuric  acid  are  added  very  gradually,  taking  especial 
<-ar<-  that  the  temperature  of  this  mixture  never  rises  above  32P 


32  DANGER    IN    MANUFACTURING. 


F.  The  oily  Nitro-Glycerin  which  floats  on  the  surface  is  sepa- 
rated by  a  tap-funnel  from  the  acid  liquid  (which  yields  more 
Nitro-Glycerin  on  being  diluted  with  water)  and  is  now  dissolved 
in  the  smallest  possible  quantity  of  ether ;  this  solution  is  shaken 
with  water,  until  the  water  no  longer  reddens  litmus ;  the  ether 
evaporated  (here  take  care !)  and  the  remaining  Nitro-Glycerin 
heated  over  the  water-bath  till  its  weight  remains  constant. 
Merck,  of  Darmstadt,  the  eminent  operative  chemist,  found  in 
following  De  Vrij's  method,  whilst  evaporating  the  etherial 
solution,  and  before  the  temperature  had  reached  212°,  it  was 
accompanied  by  a  terrible  explosion.  An  accident  from  the 
same  cause  occurred  in  the  laboratory  of  Dr.  E.  Yon  Go»rup- 
Besanez,  and  we  find  in  "Comptes  Rendus"  an  account  of  the 
effects  of  the  explosion  of  only  10  drops  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  which, 
by  one  of  the  pupils  of  that  chemist,  in  his  laboratory,  were  put 
into  a  small  cast-iron  saucepan,  and  heated  with  a  Bunsen  gas 
flame.  The  effect  of  the  explosion  was  that  the  forty-six  panes 
of  glass  of  the  windows  of  the  laboratory  were  smashed  to 
atoms,  the  saucepan  was  hurled  through  a  brick  wall,  the  stout 
iron  stand  on  which  the  vessel  had  been  placed  was  partly  split, 
partly  spirally  twisted,  and  the  tube  of  the  Bunsen  burner  was 
split  and  flattened  outwards.  Fortunately,  none  of  the  three 
persons  present  in  the  laboratory  at  the  time  were  hurt.  When 
Nitro-Glyeerin  is  caused  to  fall  drop  by  drop  on  a  thoroughly 
red-hot  iron  plate,  it  burns  off  as  gunpowder  would  do  under 
the  same  conditions;  but  if  the  iron  is  not  red  hot,  but  yet  hot 
enough  to  cause  the  Nitro-Grycerin  to  boil  suddenly,  an  explo- 
sion takes  place. 

Nitro-Glycerin  is  decomposed  by  evaporation,  even  in  vacuo, 
over  sulphuric  acid  at  ordinary  temperatures  (RAILTON),  and 
when  left  to  itself,  frequently  undergoes  spontaneous  decompo- 
sition ;  but  when  well  purified,  it  may  be  kept  for  a  long  time 
without  alteration  (H.  WATTS)  ;  exhibits  different  properties,  ac- 
cording to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  prepared  (GLADSTONE). 

Liecke  in  Dingler's  Polytecl  nical  Journal,  prescribes  the  fol- 
lowing formulae  for  manufacturing  the  three  several  prepara- 
tions, Mono-Nitro-Glycerin,  Di-Nitro-Glycerin  and  Tri-Nitro- 
Glycerin. 

Mono-Nitro-Glycerin:    Glycerin  100  grammes. 

Nitric  acid,  Sp.  Gr.  1.3,200  grammes. 


33 


ve  the  Glycerin  in  the  nitric  acid,  and  then  add  sulphu- 
ric acid  200  cubic  centimeter-. 

The  product  should  be  C;  IF  O8  H  >  n4 

NO4  H  i  e 

Di-Nitro-Glycerin  : 

Sulphuric  acid  containing  1  eq.  water,  two 
volumes,  nitric  acid,  Sp.  Gr.  1.4-,  one   volume  ;   mix  the   above, 

lower  the  temperature  to  :\*2n  F.,  or  below,  ami  drop  into  it 
Glycerin,  pure,  one  volume. 

Prod.  C8  H5  ()2  H  >     4 
•J   NO4} 

Tri-nitro-glycerin  : 

Sulphuric  Acid,  3.5  parts. 
Nitrate  of  Potash,  1  part. 

cooled  to  0°  F.,  produce*  IvO+4  SO8+6  HO,  from  this  the  con- 
centrated  turning  Nitric  aci<l  is  separated  by  decantation,  and 
being  maintained  at  0°  F, 

Glycerin  O.S  parts  is  very  gradually  added, 
producing    C3  H5  O2  N0*.)n4 

4     C 


From  the  above  extract  >  of  several  of  the  most  eminent 
chemist?*  of  the  present  day,  the  reader  will  glean,  that  in  order 
to  prepare  thi-  explosive,  of  uniform  quality,  invariable  in  com- 
positi«»n,  free  from  water,  or  any  other  impurity,  it  is  not  merely 
necessary  to  buy  the  best  materials,  but  to  have  at  command  the 
meati>  of  verifvinir  their  purity  before  attempting  its  manufac- 
ture. 

The>e  point.-  >ecured,  viz  :  purity  and  strength  of  materials,  i.  e., 

glycerin  tree  from  sugar,  fatty  acid,  saline  impurities,  and  a  mix- 

ture of  Sulphuric  Acid  with  Nitric  Acid  in  due  proportion,  of  due 

itaire    of  the    respective  acid>.  and  not  more  water  therein, 

nor   in   the  glycerin,  at   one   time  of  making,  than   another:   the 

next   point   to  command  will  be,  that  in  combining  the  glycerin 

with  the  acids,  when  considerable  heat  i>  evolved,  the   heat   thus 

evolved   shall    be   absorbed    rapidly.  never  under   any   cir- 

<-um>tance>  whatever,  to  exceed  a  certain  temperature.    "Sobi-ero 

'     F.  ;  otherwise,  according  to   my  experience,  very  dif- 

iycerin   will    roult    from   variation   of  temperature 

whilst    mixing.      Such     products   may    he   fatal   to  the    miner,  al- 

_ii  only  affecting   the    manufacturer    in    a    pecunia 


34  DECOMPOSITION    OF    NITRO-GLYCERLff. 

I  am  led  to  emphasize  these  remarks  from  the  fact  that  pro- 
spectuses have  been  issued  to  tempt  contractors  to  buy  apparatus 
in  the  one  case,  and  offering  to  manufacture  on  the  side  of  a 
railroad  cutting,  if  required,  in  another  case,  by  parties  who 
have  no  experience  in  the  manufacture,  and  who  start  in  their 
new  avocation,  by  deriding  the  care,  outlay  and  precautions  that 
their  competitors  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  make,  in  order  to 
secure  a  uniform,  certain,  and,  for  mining  purposes,  perfectly  safe 
explosive ;  for  as  the  product  is  to  be  handed  over  to  the  unedu- 
cated miner,  who  cannot  estimate  the  risk  he  is  subjected  to  even 
if  such  a  course  occurred  to  him,  it  does  seem  to  me  just  and 
proper,  that  the  controlling  engineer,  the  intelligent  contractor, 
and  especially  the  operating  miner  who  is  to  handle  this  explo- 
sive, should  be  advised,  that  under  the  term  Nitre-Glycerin, 
very  different  substances,  both  as  regards  explosive  force,  and 
liability  to  spontaneous  explosion,  do  result,  unless  extraordinary 
precautions  are  adopted  in  the  selection  of  the  crude  materials, 
as  well  as  securing  uniformly  low  temperature  throughout  the 
process  of  making.  Unless  this  be  done,  decomposition  sets  in 
and  is  indicated  by  the  emanation  of  fumes,  by  the  deepening  of 
the  light  lemon  tint  to  an  orange  yellow,  and  at  this  point,  the 
miner  should  decline  using  it,  and  require  the  manufacturer  to 
take  his  place,  and  the  risks  contingent  on  using  it. 

Since  many  of  the  accidents  that  have  occurred  with  Nitro- 
Glycerin,  have  been  traced  to  leakage  from  the  containing  ves- 
sel, notably  the  San  Francisco  accident,  probably  the  Panama 
explosion,  and  undoubtedly  the  Titusville  or  Enterprise  explo- 
sion, besides  other  cases  where  it  leaked  through  the  bottom  of 
wagon  and  thence  on  to  the  springs,  whose  hammering  caused  an 
explosion,  the  discovery  by  Granger,  page  19,  confirmed  by  the 
magazine  explosion,  page  18,  teach  the  importance  of  transport- 
ing this  explosive  in  a  solid  state,  that  is,  congealed ;  there  is 
however  another  reason;  decomposing  Mtro-Glycerin  will  not 
solidify  at  45°  F.,  and  the  comsumer  has  a  ready  and  convenient 
test  for  the  purity  of  this  article,  by  seeing  to  it  that  he  invari- 
ably purchases  the  explosive  deliverable  in  a  solid  form.  An- 
other test  is,  when  exploded,  in  a  close  tunnel,  the  fumes  or 
decomposed  gases  should  not  inconvenience  the  miner. — Failing 
in  either  of  these  tests,  it  may  fairly  be  rejected  as  an  inferior 
article,  or  should  be  used  up  as  speedily  as  possible,  preferably 


ANALYSIS    OF    NITRO-GLYCERIN.  35 

by  the  manufacturer  or  his  more  experienced  employees,  rather 
than  l»y  a  miner  wlio  may  not  he  fully  aware  of  the  unnecessary 
risk  to  which  lie  is  exposed  in  handling  impure  Nitre-Glycerin. 


METHOD   OF   ANALYSIS. 

Walter  Crum*  describes  a  method  of  analysing  bodies  con- 
taining nitric  acid,  applicable  to  the  nitre-compounds ;  when 
nitrate  of  potash  is  used,  it  is  previously  purified  by  crystalliza- 
tion, and  fused  at  little  more  than  its  melting  heat.  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin,  gun-cotton,  etc.,  must  be  deprived  of  moisture. 

A  :rla<s  jar  eight  inches  long  and  an  inch  and  a  quarter  in 
diameter,  is  rilled  with  and  inverted  over  mercury;  a  single  lump 
of  the  fused  nitrate,,  weighing  about  six  grains,  is  let  up  through 
the  mercury  into  the  inverted  jar,  and  afterwards  fifty  grains  of 
water.'  As  soon  as  the  nitrate  is  dissolved,  125  grains  of  sul- 
phuric acid,  ascertained  to  be  free  from  nitric  acid,  are  added. 
Bv  the  action  of  the  mercury  upon  the  liberated  nitric  acid, 
deutoxide  of  nitrogen  soon  begins  to  be  evolved,  and,  usually  in 
about  two  hours,  without  the  application  of  heat,  the  whole  of 
the  nitric  acid  is  converted  into  that  gas.  Sometimes  agita- 
tion is  necessary,  and  it  is  «-a>ily  performed  by  giving  a  jerking 
horizontal  motion  to  the  upper  part  of  the  jar.  The  surface  of 
the  sulphuric  acid  is  then  marked,  and  three-fourths  of  an  inch  of 
solution  of  sulphate  of  iron  recently  boiled,  let  up  into  the  jar. 
The  gas  is  rapidly  absorbed,  except  a  small  portion  at  last, 
which  must  be  left  several  hours  to  the  action  of  the  solution,  or 
be  well  agitated  in  a  smaller  tube  with  a  fresh  portion  of  it.  No 
correction  of  the  nitric  oxide  has  to  be  made  for  moisture,  for 
the  mixture  of  acid  and  water  employed  has  no  perceptible 
vapor  tension. 

In  one  experiment.  :>.4<»  --rains  of  nitrate  of  potash  yielded 
4.'.«7~>  cubic  inch< •-  .  at  60°  F.,  and  barometer  30  inc! 

The  residue  not  absorbed  by  the  sulphate  of  iron,  was  0.015 
cubic  inch,  leaving 

4.96  cubic  inches  of  nitric  oxide  =  1..V..M-  grains  NO2,  and 
which  «-orrespond  to  2.869  grains  nitric  acid,  or  5 3. 13  of  the 
nitrate  of  potash. 

*  Pharmaceutical  Transactions,  vol.  7, 1848,  p.  27,  et  seq. 


36  HOTE'S  ANALYSIS  OF  ITS  GASES. 

Four  consecutive  experiments  yielded 
53.13 
53.14 
53.73 
53.29 


Mean  53.32  or  leaving  out  the  third  experiment. 
Mean  53.19 

The  calculated  percentage  of  nitric  acid  in  nitrate  of  potash, 
the  acid  being  represented  by  6.75,  and  the  potash  by  5.8992,  is 
53.36.  THOMSON  gives  for  percentage  of  nitric  acid  in  nitrate 
of  potash  52.94,  and  BERZELIUS  53.44. 

Salts  in  powder,  which  are  difficult  to  pass  through  mercury 
without  loss,  may  be  enclosed  in  small  glass  cylinders.  Nitro- 
Glycerin  may  be  made  into  pellets  with  powdered  glass,  and 
congealed  at  45°,  or  simply  congealed  by  taking  great  care  it  is 
not  partially  thawed  during  manipulation. 

Mr.  Theron  Skeel,  of  Albany,  has  furnished  me  with  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from  the  Engineering  Journal  of  the  17th  Nov., 
1871,  being  an  explanation  of  M.  L.  Hote's  method  of  analysing 
the  gases  produced  by  the  explosion  of  Nitro- Glycerin.  He 
uses  lire's  graduated  electric  eudiometer,  made  out  of  a  green 
glass  organic  analysis  tube.  Introduce  into  the  apparatus  ten 
centimeters  of  the  gases  evolved  from  water  by  voltaic  electric- 
ity, then  introduce  small  globules  of  thin  glass,  containing  from 
five  to  six  milligrammes  of  the  explosive ;  an  electric  spark  being 
passed  through  the  mixed  gases  by  means  of  the  platina  points 
melted  in  the  upper  part  of  the  eudiometer,  explodes  the  gases, 
breaks  the  small  glass  globules  and  explodes  the  Nitro-Glycerin. 
The  gases  evolved  are  colorless,  and  contain  a  proportion  of 
binoxide  of  nitrogen.  Submitted  to  the  proper  absorbents,  for 
moisture,  binoxide  of  nitrogen  and  carbonic  acid,  there  remains 
nitrogen.  Thus : 

1  gramme  Nitro-Glyceriii  gave  at  temp.  0  Cent. 

29.7  barom.  press., 
of  these  gases  284  c.c. 

One  hundred  parts  by  volume  contained 

Carbonic  acid,  45.72 

Binoxide  of  Nitrogen,  20.36 
Nitrogen,  33.92 

100.00 


EXPLOSION    BY    CONCr>M".\     I'KoVED.  37 

MAKTIN*  ha>  <l«-\  !>»•<!  a  method  <>t'  ascertaining  the  percentage 
of  nitric  acid,  by  its  conversion  into  ammonia.  Nitric  acid 
when  mixed  with  sulphuric  or  muriatic  acids,  in  the  presence  of 
metallic  zinc,  is  converted  into  ammonia  (Gmelin  I,  828).  By 
placing  BOme  zinc  in  a  mixture  of  the  two  acids,  there  is  no  dis- 
eniragement  «>f  gas,  whilst  the  nitric  acid  is  converted  into 
ammonia.  Hydrogen  in  its  nascent  state  combines  with  the  oxy- ' 
gen  of  the  nitrogen  compound,  produced  hy  tlie  nitric  acid 
alone. 

Mj-tallic  zinc,  with  dilute  nitric  acid,  gives  protoxide  of  nitro- 
gen ;    and  hy  taking  one  equivalent  of  this  gas  and  four  equiva- 
lents of  hydrogen,  water  and  ammonia  may  he  formed. 
NO  4. 4H  =  NH3-f  HO. 

The  nitric  acid,  acting  gradually  and  slowly  on  the  zinc,  is 
transformed  into  ammonia,  equivalent  for  equivalent.  When  this 
reaction  has  ceased,  then  follows  a  disengagement  of  hydrogen 
gas  from  the  zinc,  which  is  permitted  for  a  fr>w  seconds.  It  now 
remains  to  ascertain  the  percentage  of  ammonia.  The  ammonia 
mav  he  distilled  off  and  then  absorbed  by  a  normal  or  previously 
ascertained  quantitative  solution  of  oxalic  acid,  and  afterwards 
to  ascertain  the  quantity  of  oxalic  acid  not  taken  up;  deduct 
this  from  the  original  quantity  contained  in  the  absorbing 
solution,  and  the  result  gives  the  percentage  of  oxalic  acid  neu- 
tralized by  the  absorption  ol  the  ammonia;  from  this  the  ammo- 
nia i>  calculated.  Mohr's  apparatus  for  the  disengagement  of 
ammonia  may  be  used  with  advantage  in  this  operation.  See 
Mohr's  Traite  d'analyse  chimique,  supplement,  p.  402,  Paris, 
1857. 

Tilbergf  analysed  the  Stockholm  Nitres-Glycerin  with  the  fol- 
lowing result :  C8  H5  (NO2)  O8 

(the    Carbon  atoms  being  estimated  a>  1*2,  Hydrogen  1,  Oxygen 
16,)  and  regarded  it  as  Mono-Nitro-Glycerin. 

In  proof  of  the  fact  of  Nitro-Glycerin  being  explosive  by  c<>n- 
'M  effected  at  a  distance,  if  proof  were  needed,  I  instance  a 
small  can  containing  about  -4-lbs.  of  Nitro-Glycerin  left  by  the 
blaster  about  350  teet  from  the  heading,  and  partially  prot- 
by  the  rail  which  was  curved  upward>  t«>  prevent  the  cars  run- 
ning over  the  dump,  wa>  exploded,  when  a  full  charge  of  16 
holes  wa>  tired  in  the  heading  at  the  West  End  of  the  Hoosac 

*  Comptes  rendus,  V.  xxxvii,  p.  947. 
t  Chemical  News,  March  1869,  p.  151. 


38  NON-EXPLOSIVE    NITRO-GLYCERIN. 

Tunnel.  It  will  be  noted  that  there  could  be  no  heat  devel- 
oped 350  feet  from  the  primary  explosion,  and  being  enclosed  in 
an  ordinary  kerosene  can,  it  appears  a  striking  instance  of  the 
possibility  of  explosion  from  induced  concussion. 

Again,  in  April,  1872,  a  cartridge  of  Nitro-Glycerin  was  left 
in  the  cartridge  chest,  containing  about  2  Ibs.  Nitro-Grycerin, 
whilst  20  charges  of  blasting  powder  were  fired  in  the  heading, 
200  feet  distant;  the  explosion  of  the  powder  was  unusually 
heavy,  and  the  Nitre-Glycerin  exploded,  tearing  the  chest  to 
pieces,  fracturing  the  air  main  and  disrupting  the  track.  This 
indubitably  proves  the  explosion  of  RLtro-Glycerin  by  concus- 
sion, and  should  warn  every  operator  to  be  careful  to  place  any 
surplus  explosive  away  from  exploders,  and  as  far  distant  as  pos- 
sible from  where  an  explosion  is  intended,  and  particularly  in 
such  position  that  if  it  should  explode,  a  contingency  possible, 
there  may  be  no  one  near  the  vessel  containing  such  surplus. 

*The  experiments  of  February  17,  1870,  described  by  Pro- 
fessors Barker  and  S.  W.  Johnson,  where  water  and  glass  inter- 
vened to  receive  the  heat  and  concussion,  confirm  the  fact  of 
Nitro-Glyceriu  being  explosive  by  concussion,  without  heat  or 
pressure ;  in  these  instances  neither  heat  nor  pressure  were  ad- 
mitted, yet  the  explosion  blew  the  tub  into  fragments,  cutting 
off  the  staves  level  with  the  hoops,  smashing  and  fracturing  the 
bottom  of  the  tub  on  the  rock  serving  as  a  pedestal,  and  send- 
ing the  water  up  so  that  it  descended  in  a  shower  seventy  feet 
from  the  point  of  explosion. 

It  is  proper  I  should  here  announce  that,  after  a  series  of  ex- 
periments, during  my  leisure  hours,  extending  over  several  years, 
with  nitro-mannite,  nitro-sugar,  nitro-dextrin,  nitro-starch,  and 
nitro-naphthalin,  with  a   view  to  obtain  a  homogeneous  com- 
pound convertible  wholly  into  gaseous  matter,  and  miscible  with 
liquid  Nitro-Glycerin,  which  would  not  explode  under  ordinary 
conditions,  I  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  such  a  mixture,  viz. : 
Nitro-Glycerm,  thirty  parts. 
,  Nitro-Toluol,  ten  parts. 

Mixed,  this  will  not  explode  when  struck  on  an  anvil,  burns 
when  thrown  on  to  the  fire,  and  can  only  be  exploded  with  very 
heavily  charged  exploders,  containing,  say,  fifteen  grains  of  ful- 
minate, better  and  more  surely,  however,  with  twenty  grains.  To 
this  I  know  but  one  drawback :  it  does  not  solidify  at  a  moderate 

*  See  abstract  of  Prof,  Barker's  affidavit,  toward*  the  close  of  this  pamphlet. 


o* 


*v;l' V'-M 


,» 


ELECTRICITY    FOR    BLASTING    OPERATIONS.  39 

(4-.~>°  F.)  temperature,  and,  if  tlie  containing  vessel  should  leak, 
,-i  to,,  frequent  source  of  accident  with  inferior  Nitre-Glycerin 

that  cannot  be  congealed,  the  nitro-toluol  is  liable  to  evaporate, 
and  the  Nitro-Glycerin  is  tl  en  left  with  its  usually  dangerous 
]  »n »]  >erties  unimpaired. 

This  was  patented  by  C.  Yolney,  who  formerly  blasted  for 
me,  and  tor  th ••  Lake  Shore  N.  G.  Co.,  and  assigned  to  me  for 
a  consideration. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


Electricity  for  Blasting  Operations. 

Although  half  a  century  ha-  passed  since  blasting  by  electric- 
ity was  effected  by  Col.  Pasley,  in  his  submarine  explosions  for 
removing  the  wreck  of  the  Royal  George,  at  Spithead,  the  appa- 
ratus for  exciting  the  electricity  necessary  to  explode  many 
charges  simultaneously,  is  still  (May,  1872),  very  unsatisfactory. 
Mr.  H.  Julius  Smith,  of  Boston,  taking  the  Austrian  friction 
battery,  recommended  by  Baron  Abner,  in  his  report  at  Vienna, 
for  his  ba-  <  meliorated  the  arrangements  by  enclosing  the 

working  parts  in  a  better  vulcanite  casing,  and  securing  the  dis- 
charge by  reversing  the  motion  of  the  handle,  but  the  objec- 
tions remain  that  an  ebonite  plate  is  scratched  by  the  rubbers, 

the  >  ilplmret  of  tin,  used  as  an  amalgam,  ca; 
partial  discharge  all  over  the  surface  of  the  plate,  rendering  it 
a  short-lived  machine  whose  power  is  limited,  unless  the  prim- 
tbe  expl<»der>  is  made  very  >en>itive,  and  liable  to  explode 
by  atiii* »plieric  electricity.  Several  fatal  accidents  have  occurred 
to  miner,-,  Irom  premature  explosions  of  the  charge  whilst  load- 
ing the  holes,  and  these  fatalities  having  been  traced  to  the 
"over- sensitive  priming"  used,  it  behooves  the  mining  engineer 


40  EXPLODING    APPARATUS. 

to  look  well  to  the  exploders  offered  him,  and  in  every  case  he 
will  find  where  cotton  immersed  in  a  varnish  is  sufficient  insula- 
tion to  protect  the  wire  from  losing  its  electricity,  the  priming 
used  for  charging  such  exploders  is  too  dangerous  for  miners' 
use,  and  involves  a  grave  responsibility. 

Mr.  Abel's  Electro-magnetic  Exploder  limits  the  discharge  to 
a  series  of  five  mines,  or  blasts  in  each  series,  being  the  Yerdu 
or  Savare  system,  and  involves  several  leading  wires  for  numer- 
ous explosions,  and  although  yielding  electricity  in  quantity  it 
lacks  intensity. 

The  Holtz  machine  is  altogether  too  vicarious  in  its  operation 
for  blasting  purposes.  A  machine  or  apparatus  that  will  dis- 
charge 100  blasts,  if  needed,  durable,  and  not  liable  to  derange- 
ment or  wear,  is  a  necessity,  and  it  should  evolve  enough 
electricity  and  of  sufficient  tension  to  jump  between  the  wires 
l-20th  of  an  inch  apart,  necessary  to  fire  priming,  so  as  to  secure 
simultaneous  firing.  The  heated  wire,  or  a  quantity  of  electricity 
heating  wire  by  the  resistance  a  small  wire  offers  to  the  cur- 
rent, since  it  occupies  time,  brief  though  it  be,  involves,  as  I 
think,  the  objection  that  the  discharges  cannot  be  simultaneous 
in,  say  twenty  blasts.  Of  this  class  are  the  machines  now  in 
course  of  construction  by  Mr.  Moses  Farmer,  of  Boston,  where 
the  exciting  power  is  manual  labor,  being  a  dynamo-electric 
machine.  Breguet's  electro-magnetic  exploder,  giving  a  spark  by 
breaking  contact,  is  altogether  too  weak,  at  least  for  the  Ameri- 
can contractor. 

The  ordinary  Ruhmkorff  coil  is  accompanied  with  the  objec- 
tion, that  in  a  numerous  series  of  blasts,  the  spark,  when  it  has 
passed  some  five  or  six  holesv  seems  to  vanish  in  a  glow,  and  to 
lose  the  heat  necessary  to  effect  decomposition  of  the  priming, 
besides  the  incumbrance  of  acids  and  battery;  in  brief,  it  is  not 
sufficiently  portable  for  the  use  of  contractors. 

During  the  past  four  years  I  have  given  this  subject  much 
attention,  and,  having  experimented  pretty  extensively,  I  have 
secured  the  first  point,  viz.:  a  safe  priming  which  is  not  affected 
by  the  induced  electricity  caused  by  machinery  running,  friction 
of  handling,  or  atmospheric  electricity.  My  present  aim  —  the 
evolution  of  electricity  of  sufficient  intensity  to  leap  fifty  to  one 
hundred  solutions  of  continuity,  i.  e.,  effect  fifty  blasts  simulta- 
neously, I  hope  I  have  secured,  but  this  subtile  force,  electricity, 


o\  KKY    <)K    >AFK     1'KIMING.  41 

is  so  readily  affected  by  so  many  interfering  elements  in  blasting 

operations,  that  it  would  be  premature  in  this  patent-demanding 
age,  to  communicate  the  progress  I  have  obtained,  until  the  sev- 
eral apparatus  I  am  now  constructing  (three  forms  of  machine), 
are  complete,  and  have  been  subjected  to  actual  work  in  severely 
critical  hands.  An  inventor  is  no  judge  of  the  success  of  his 
own  Bantlings. 

Aware  of  the  short  life  of  the  frictional  electric  machine,  as  at 
present  constructed;  knowing  how  the  ordinary  induction  coil 
diminishes  its  intensity  of  spark,  in  proportion  to  the  number  of 
blasts  to  be  fired  ;  seeing  that  the  Electro-magnetic  machine  is 
limited  to  a  scries  of  live  blasts,  which  can  only  be  exploded 
consecutively ;  that  the  Electro-dynamic  machines  are  open  to 
this  la>t  objection,  besides  destruction  of  their  conducting  parts 
by  over-heating,  whilst  in  the  matter  of  adopting  "over-sensitive 
priming''  to  compensate  for  the  deficiency  of  electricity  or  cheap 
conducting  wire,  there  looms  up  the  danger  to  the  miner  of 
handling  exploders,  which  "go  off  by  looking  at"  them,  it 
seemed  that,  unless  some  amelioration  was  effected  in  these 
details,  the  great  economy  of  simultaneous  blasting  by  means  of 
electricity  would  have  to  be  abandoned.  Add  to  these  difficul- 
ties the  fact  that  any  casualty  occurring  from  any  of  the  above 
causes  would  reach  the  public  a>  <-aiiM-d  by  Kitro-Glycerin,  and 
my  reader  will  comprehend  the  interot  I  have  felt,  during  the 
past  four  vcriiv,  in  solving  the  following  problem  : 

To  construct  an  apparatus  that  will,  under  every  condition  of 
atmosphere,  whether  damp,  dense  or  rarefied,  evolve,  at  the  will 
of  the  operator,  abundance  of  electricity ;  such  electricity  to 
aa  the  property  of  developing  intense  heat,  so  as  not  to 
need  a  very  sensitive  priming,  and  to  possess  sufficient  tension  to 
overleap  numerous  solutions  of  continuity,  say  fifty,  at  a  flash. 
Xf\t.  to  di>cuver  a  priming  composition,  to  insert  between  the 
solutions  of  continuity,  that  would  not  be  affected  by  moisture, 
that  would  bear  handling  without  danger  of  exploding,  be 
unchangeable  tor  years,  unaffected  by  the  induced  electricity 
of  the  atmosphere,  whether  caused  by  thunder  storm>,  lightning 
on  the  rail,  machinery  belting  in  motion,  or  steam  blowing  off 
from  a  safety  valve,  ozone,  etc.,  and  yet  not  too  exhaustive  of 
the  electric  force  of  the  spark  required  to  tire  it. 

The  above  seemed  to  me  the  conditions  necessary  for  the 
apparatus  and  the  exploder  in  firing  with  electricity. 


42  NEW    INDUCTION     COIL. 

Iii  addition  to  these,  for  conducting  such  electricity  to  the 
points  required,  the  best  conductor,  and  the  best  insulation 
attainable. 

Further,  that  as  Mtro-Glycerin  was  an  expensive  explosive  to 
waste,  to  supplement  the  above  details  with  some  material  that 
would  absolutely  develope  its  extreme  force  instantaneously,  and 
not  as  is  easily  the  case,  burn  a  part,  explode  a  part,  and  throw 
the  remainder  into  the  atmosphere,  to  poison  the  miners,  or  by 
missing  fire,  endanger  life,  and  waste  time.  How  these  objects, 
so  desirable,  have  been  obtained,  I  now  proceed  to  relate. 

By  modifying  the  ordinary  induction  coil,  so  as  to  make  it 
yield  a  highly  heating  spark,  and  remedying  its  property  of  los- 
ing tension  rapidly  after  leaping  four  or  live  solutions  of  contin- 
uity, the  Messrs.  Ritchie  &  Sons,  of  Boston,  have  constructed  for 
me  a  coil  that  fires  18  intervals  when  charged  witli  rifle  powder 
simply;  and  they  are  now  constructing  another  coil  capable  of 
firing  fifty  mines,  when  charged  with  priming  that  is  perfectly 
safe  to  handle,  and  fulfilling  the  conditions  enumerated  above. 
One  spark  alone  is  required  to  effect  these  results,  which  may  be 
summed  up  as  "  eliminating  the  heating  properties  of  induced 
electricity." 

I  have  previously  referred  to  the  necessity  of  using  a  heavy 
charge  of  fulminate  of  mercury,  in  order  to  secure  perfect  and 
instantaneous  explosion  of  a  charge  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  without 
confining  the  latter;  the  manipulating  this  explosive  salt  (ful- 
minate of  mercury)  without  hazard  to  the  operators  (generally 
girls),  was  accomplished  by  precipitating  gurn  mastich  from  its 
alcoholic  solution,  by  the  addition  of  water,  and  mixing  in  the 
moist  fulminate,  and  then  filling  the  pasty  compound  into  a 
stout  copper  capsule,  which  is  subsequently  enclosed  in  a  wooden 
case,  saturated  with  parafiine.  The  resistance  of  the  stout  cop- 
per capsule,  immensely  adds  to  the  effective  force  of  the  exploder, 
and  ensures  the  most  effective  explosion  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin, 
which  cannot  be  obtained  by  a  wooden  capsule  alone.  These 
details  as  to  the  requirements  for  effectively  exploding  the  nitro- 
compounds,  have  been  very  fully  examined  and  proved,  by  Abel, 
Article,  Pyroxylin,  Watts'  Chem.  Dictionary,  Yol.  4,  p.  776,  et 
seq.,  and  daily  use  confirms  them.  My  observation  of  the  fatal- 
ities that  have  occurred  with  over-sensitive  priming  composition, 
introduced  with  a  view  to  compensate  for  deficient  electric  force, 
and  thus  to  permit  the  use  of  a  weak  battery  and  cheap  cotton 


I)K>(  Kri'ilo.N     OF    TRI-NITRO-GLYCERIN    FACTORY.  43 

covered  wire  varnished  over  (instead  of  gutta-percha  insulation), 
in  order  t<>  >ub-titute  a  weak  current  tliat  would  be  sufficient  to 
tire  these  oversensitive  exploders  tor  the  stronger  current 
required  to  tire  a  sate  priming,  satisfy  me  that  electric  blasting 
had  better  be  discontinued,  and  tape  fuse  resumed,  unle>s  the 
w«>rk  will  bear  the  expense  of  absolutely  safe  materials.  Better 
t<>  face  the  difficulty,  construct  efficient  electric  apparatus,  con- 
vey the  electricity  along  wires  of  perfect  insulation  to  a  s.afe 
printing,  and  by  complete  and  violent  explosion  of  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin,  or  powder,  make  such  effective  blasting  as  not  to  throw 
away  the  labor  of  drilling,  candles,  power,  and  blasting  mate- 
rials. I  believe  this  the  true  economy.  These  details  may 
seem  wearisome,  but  the  casualties  of  blasting  can  best  be 
diminished  by  avoiding  missed  holes,  a  result  only  attainable 
by  using  materials  absolutely  reliable;  and  the  reader,  if  he  has 
ever  attempted  to  harness  up  as  a  team  those  subtile,  evasive, 
terriric  forces — electricity  and  explosives,  for  the  service  of  his 
fellowman,  will  excuse  the  writer's  earnestness  and  agree  with 
him  that  in  such  a  task  the  rule  should  be  "Ant  nunquam  tenta 
ant  perticr." 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin  Manufactured  at  the  Hoosac 
Tunnel  —  How  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin  is  Made  —  How- 
Stored  —  How  Gutta-Percha  is  Purified  —  How  the 
Conducting  Wires  are  Insulated  —  How  the  Explo- 
ders are  Manufactured. 

There  are  probably  few  of  my  readers  who  have  ventured  to 
trust  themselves  within  a  Nitre-Glycerin  manufactory;  the  very 
name  is  sufficient  to  make  the  passer-by  quicken  his  step,  till  he 
is  a  safe  distance  beyond  the  dreaded  precinct.  Some  account 


44:  MANUFACTURE    UF    ACIDS. 

of  such  a  factory  will,  accordingly,  be  interesting  to  many  who 
are  familiar  with  the  article,  perhaps  have  used  it,  but  whose 
curiosity  has  not  been  of  such  a  nature  as  to  induce  them  to  pay 
a  visit  to  the  works,  where  the  least  negligence  involves  a  death 
penalty. 

About  100  yards  beyond  the  West  shaft  of  the  Hoosac  Tun- 
nel, is  to  be  seen  a  board  fence  surrounding  about  ten  acres  of 
ground,  with  the  announcement,  "  Nmio-GLYCERiN  WORKS  ;  — 
DANGEROUS;  —  No  VISITORS  ADMITTED." 

A  drive  leading  between  two  rows  of  buildings  brings  the  "  vis- 
itor v  to  the  acid  house,  a  well-ventilated  building,  150  feet  long. 
Here  are  11  stills,  each  seven  feet  long  and  two  feet  in  diameter. 
Under  these  a  light,  slow  fire  burns,  which  is  carefully  attended 
to,  for  the  temperature  must  be  kept  moderate.    In  each  of  these 
stills  is  placed  300  Ibs.  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  375  Ibs.  of  sulphuric 
acid.     A  stoneware  pipe  conducts  the  gases,  at  a  temperature  of 
about  180°  F.,  from  each  still  into  a  stone  receiver  or  condenser,  or 
rather  a  series  of  four  condensers  connected  by  stoneware  pipes, 
ranged  on  a  platform  three  feet  above  the  ground.     Into  the 
first  of  these  150  Ibs.  of  sulphuric  acid  is  poured,  into  the  second 
150  Ibs.,  into  the  third  100  Ibs.,  and  the  fourth  is  empty.     The 
nitrous  vapor  passes  from  the  still  to  the  first  condenser,  where 
a  portion  of  it,  forming  as  it  condenses  nitric  acid,  is  taken  up 
by  the  sulphuric  acid ;  the  remainder  passes  on  to  the  second, 
third  and  fourth  condensers,  though  a  very  small  portion  is  left 
to  pass  into  the  last,  which  only  requires  to  be  emptied  once  a 
month.     It  takes  about  twenty-four  hours  for  the  still  to  com- 
plete the  conversion  of  its  contents  into  nitric  acid,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  the  resultant  mixture  of  acids,  about  600  Ibs.,  is  run 
off*  into  carboys,  twelve  of  these  being  filled  from  three  stills. 
About  100  carboys  are  generally  kept  in  stock,  as  the  acid  does 
not  spoil  when  kept  closed.     These  carboys  are  then  emptied 
into  a  soapstone  tank  having  a  capacity  of  18  carboys,  and  an 
iron  pipe,  connected  with  the  main  leading  from  two  blowers  in 
the  engine  house,  is  inserted  into  the  acid,  causing  a  current  of  air 
to  agitate  it  so  as  to  remove  the  nitrous  fumes,  mix  it  thoroughly 
and  bring  it  all  to  uniform  strength.    Formerly,  this  was  effected 
by  removing  the  acid  into  a  glass  vessel  containing  about  forty 
gallons,  and  it  required  boiling  for  hours ;    the  mode  now  prac- 
ticed occupies  only  five  minutes  and  the  risk  of   fracture  of  a 


THK    c'O.NVKKTIXi.     PROCESS.  45 

irl:i»  Yes-el  in  :i  sand  bath  is  avoided.  The  acid  is  then  carried 
into  the  converting  room,  about  one  hundred  feet  long  and  well 
lighted,  where  it  i-  weighed,  seventeen  pounds  being  poured 
int<»  each  of  one  liundred  an<l  sixtcm  stone  pitchers  which  are 
arranged  in  nine  wooden  troughs  placed  in  the  centre  and  at  the 
end  of  the  room,  and  these  troughs  are  now  filled  with  ice-cold 
water,  <»r  ice  and  -alt.  so  as  to  rise  within  four  inches  ot  the 
top  ot  the  jar.  On  shelves  ahove  the  troughs,  are  arraugi  d 
u'l;i  —  jars,  one  to  each  stone  pitcher.  Into  each  of  these  gla-s 
jars,  two  pounds,  hy  weight,  of  [Hire  Glycerin  is  poured,  and 
this.  l»v  mean-  of  a  siphon,  with  a  rubber  tube  attached,  ah<»ut 
two  teet  long,  falls  drop  by  drop  into  the  corresponding  pitcher 
of  mixed  sulphuric  and  nitric  acids.  Immediately  below  the 
shelf,  in  which  the  Glycerin  jar  stands,  is  a  -2±  inch  iron  pipe, 
which  brings  a  current  of  cold  air  from  the  receiver.-  connect  d 
with  the  two  blowers  before  mentioned.  Tin's  current  of  air  is 
distributed  to  each  jar,  while  the  acid  and  glycerin  are  mixing, 
by  a  rubber  pipe,  to  which  is  attached  a  glass  tube  10  inches 
long,  and  with  a  ±  inch  bore.  During  the  hour  and  a  half  to 
two  hour.-  that  the  glycerin  takes  to  run  off  into  the  pitchers, 
the  greatest  care,  and  the  closest  attention  is  requisite.  The 
three  men  whose  duty  it  is  to  attend  to  the  mixing  process,  have 
each  a  row  of  pitchers  to  watch,  walking  the  whole  time  up  and 
down,  beside  them,  with  thermometer  in  hand,  and  as  the  nitrons, 
fumes  rise  from  the  forming  Nitro-Glycerin,  they  stir  the  mixture, 
with  the  glass  tube  before  mentioned,  in  any  pitcher  that  may  be 
giving  out  too  violent  fumes.  Sometimes  this  is  caused  by  the 
-lycerin  running  a  little  freely,  which  tires  the  mixture,  \\ 
the  glycerin,  forming  oxalic  acid,  and  developes  unpleasant 
vapors.  In  such  a  case,  by  pushing  back  a  little  wooden  peg  in 
the  -'la—  jar.  the  tiow  of  glycerin  is  lessened,  and  by  stirring 
with  the  glass  tube  the  nitrous  vapors  dispelled.  Should  the 
engine  also  >top  working  by  any  untbrseen  circumstance,  the 
current  of  air  will  of  course  be  stopped,  when  the  mixture  will 
take  tin-.  In  this  case,  it  is  necessary  to  stir  the  mixture,  and  at 
once  stop  the  tlow  of  glycerin.  When  the  glycerin  and  acid  is 
all  mixed,  and  the  nitrous  fun  to  appear,  the  Nitro-Gly- 

cerin  from  each  pitcher  is  dumped  into  a  large  tank  of  water, 
at  a  temperature  of  70°,  about  450  Ibs.  of  Xitro-(  ilycerin  being 
the  amount  of  each  batch  manufactured.  The  Nitro-Glycerin 


46  PURIFYING    PROCESS. 


sinks  to  the  bottom  and  is  covered  by  abo'ut  six  feet  of  water. 
Here  it  remains  for  fifteen  minutes  to  be  subsequently  washed 
free  from  any  impurities.  This  tank  goes  through  the  floor  into 
a  basement,  chamber,  its  bottom  being  on  a  slight  incline,  so  that 
the  Nitro-Glycerin  may  run  out  easily.  The  water  is  first  drawn 
oft  from  the  top  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin,  and  then  the  latter  is 
run  into  a  wooden  swinging  tub,  in  shape  somewhat  like  an  old- 
fashioned  butter  churn,  bat  a  good  deal  larger  in  diameter.  In 
this  it  is  washed  five  times,  three  times  with  plain  water,  and 
twice  with  soda,  a  current  of  air  working  through  it  at  the  same 
time.  The  water  from  this  tub  is  run  off  into  a  wooden  trough, 
which  conveys  it  to  a  barrel  buried  in  the  earth,  in  the  side  of 
which  a  hole  carries  it  to  another  barrel  a  little  lower  down  the 
hill,  and  this  again  to  another  barrel,  whence  it  finds  its  way  to 
the  dump  of  rocks  being  removed  from  the  tunnel,  any  Nitro- 
Glycerin  that  may  have  escaped  in  the  \\iasliing  process  being 
collected  and  retained  in  one  or  other  of  these  barrels. 

The  Nitre-Glycerin  is  by  this  time  thoroughly  washed  and 
ready  to  store  in  the  magazine,  300  feet  distant,  to  which  it  is 
carried  in  a  couple  of  copper  pails  at  a  time,  by  a  man  with  a 
yoke,  similar  to  what  milkmen  use  for  carrying  their  pail*. 
CuriOus  thought,  that  a  man  carrying  a  couple  of  harmless  look- 
ing pails  with  only  a  little  colorless  fluid  in  them,  should  have 
enough  explosive  matter  about  him  to  annihilate  a  regiment. 

In  the  magazine  the  Nitre-Glycerin  is  poured  into  "crocks,"  as 
they  are  called,  earthenware  jars  holding  60  Ibs.  These  crocks 
are  then  placed  in  a  wooden  tank  2^-  feet  deep,  which  holds 
20  of  them,  and  immersed  to  within  six  inches  from  the  top  of 
the  jars  in  water  warmed  by  a  small  pipe  from  the  boiler,  to 
raise  the  temperature  to  70°,  at  which  temperature  it  is  kept  all 
the  time,  as  nearly  as  possible.  They  remain  in  this  water  for 
about  72  hours,  during  which  time  any  impurities  still  remain- 
ing rise  to  the  surface  as  scum,  and  are  skimmed  off  with  a 
spoon.  The  Nitro- Glycerin  is  then  chemically  pure,  transpar- 
ent as  water,  refracts  light  powerfully,  and  is  ready  for  packing. 
The  tin  cans,  lined  with  paraffine  and  containing  56  Ibs.  each, 
are  placed  in  a  shallow  wooden  trough,  and  the  Nitro-Glycerin 
being  poured  from  the  crocks  into  copper  cans,  is  again  poured 
into  the  tins  through  a  gutta-percha  funnel,  the  bottom  of  the 
trough  being  covered  with  a  thick  layer  of  plaster  of  paris, 


HKWARE    "F     IMITKK    MTK<»-(,!  47 

which  absorbs  ami  i  em  UTS  harmless  any  drop-  of  Nitro-Glycerin 
that  may  l»e  spilt.  The  tins  when  tilled  are  then  placed  in  a 
wooden  trough  containing  iced  water,  or  ice  and  salt,  where  the 
Glycerin  i— lowly  crystalli/ed  or  concealed  ;  in  this  condi- 
tion, it  is  stored  away  in  small  magazines  :>nn  feet  distant,  in 
amounts  of  :>(»  to  -4-O  cans  each,  until  required  for  use. 

When  the  Nitro-Glycerin   is  to  he  conveyed  over  the  moun- 
tains, the  tins  are  packed  in  open  w len  boxes,  with  two  inches 

of  sponge  at  the  bottom,  and  four  rubber  tubes  underneath; 
are  long  enough  to  allow  the  ends  to  come  one  inch  over 
the  top  of  the  tin  on  opposite  sides,  thus  interposing  two  elastic 
tubes  between  the  outside,  of  the  tin  and  the  inside  of  the 
wooden  box,  rendering  it  perfectly  safe  to  carry.  Each  tin  is 
cellular,  i  e.,  from  the  top  of  each  tin  to  the  bottom  a  tube 
~,  about  ten  inches  deep  and  1£  inch  in  diameter,  for  the 
purpose  of  thawing  the  congealed  Nitro-Glycerin  when  the 
blaster  is  ready  to  use  it,  liquefaction  heeing  effected  with  water 
of  7<>°  to  90°.  The  tins  being  closed  with  a  cork  wrapped  in 
bladder,  are  put  into  a  sleigh  or  wagon,  covered  in  summer  with 
a  layer  of  ice  and  blankets,  and  may  thus  be  carried  any  distance 
in  this  purified  crystalline  state,  as  safely  as  so  many  tubs  of 
butter. 

The  reflecting  reader  will  note  the  care  taken  to  purity  the 
Nitro-Glycerin;  it  occupies  1£  hours  to  make  it,  about  1'2  hours 
to  purity,  and  about  -48  hours  to  congeal  or  crystallize  it.  And 
yet  there  are  parties  who  attempt  to  make  and  vend  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin, and  induce  miners  and  contractors  to  use  it,  taken  direct 
from  the  precipitating  tank,  with  all  its  impurities  tendii 
decomposition,  and  requiring  only  time  and  moderate  tempera- 
ture for  spontaneous  explosion  ;  hence,  I  believe  many  accidents. 

Proceeding  back  to  the  factory,  two  ice-houses  will  he  noticed, 
capable    of  containing  40n  tons  of  ice,  required  tor  crystallizing 
Nitro-Glycerin  in  summer.     There  is  a  small  engine-house   with 
In-  of  tifteen  horse  power,  and  engiu.-   of  about  ten    • 

latter,  to  pump  water  into  the  washing  tank,  run  the 
two    u  blowers."   and    give   power    in    the   gutta-percha    factory. 
The  air  is  not  pumped  directly  into  the  pipe  which  distribir 
to  the  pitchers,  as  the  piv— uro  would  not  be  always  uniform  ;  but 
into   •  'v.-rs  under  the  floor  of  the   factory,  whence   it  is 

-tributed,  and  deprived  of  watery  vapor,  which  if  blown 


48  INSULATING    THE    CONDUCTING    WIRES. 


into  the  pitchers  would  raise  the  temperature  and  vitiate  the 
product. 

Attached  to  the  factory  is  a  building  about  90  feet  long,  for 
covering  the  copper  wire  (used  in  exploding)  with  gutta  percha, 
so  as  to  render  the  insulation  perfect.  The  iirst  process  is  to 
purify  the  crude  gutta-percha  which  is  imported  in  1  docks  about  a 
foot  long.  Tliis  is  placed  against  a  rasping  machine  with  toothed 
knives  about  four  inches  apart,  which  crush  and  tear  the  gutta- 
percha  to  pieces,  delivering  it  into  a  trough  of  water.  The  im- 
purities sink,  while  the  gutta-percha  floats.  It  is  then  warmed 
in  a  steam  jacketed  kettle,  and  when  still  plastic  is  put  into 
another  tearing  or  rasping  machine  with  another  series  of  knives 
set  closer  together,  from  this  it  drops  into  a  trough  of  clean 
water,  more  dirt  separating.  This  is  repeated  two  or  three 
times,  as  it  is  most  important  that  no  extraneous  matter  should 
he  retained  in  the  gutta-percha,  because  it  would  interfere  with 
perfect  insulation,  and  so  place  in  jeopardy  the  lives  of  several 
men.  It  is  again  steamed  and  put  into  a  "  masticator  "  consist- 
ing of  a  fluted  roller  working  in  a  steam  jacket;  here  it  is 
"chawed  up"  for  about  six  hours,  until  it  arrives  at  a  proper 
consistence ;  it  is  then  passed  between  two  smooth  cylinders 
heated  by  steam,  and  transferred  thence  into  a  cylinder,  where  it 
is  pressed  through  gauze  wire,  under  a  pressure  of  four  tons  to 
the  inch.  Being  thoroughly  cleansed,  it  is  then  steamed,  masti- 
cated and  pressed  between  the  cylinders,  and  is  ready  to  cover 
the  copper  wire.  Five  wires  at  a  time,  horizontally  parallel  to 
one  another,  are  passed  through  a  gun  metal  mould  with  a  disc 
at  the  further  end  perforated  with  five  holes  but  little  larger 
than  the  wires  themselves,  placed  at  the  base  of  an  upright  cyl- 
inder. The  gutta-percha  is  inserted  in  the  top  of  this  cylinder, 
and  a  pressure  of  95  tons  is  put  upon  it  by  means  of  a  screw, 
when  it  is  pressed  into  slots  in  the  mould  surrounding  the  wires, 
which  are  then  drawn  from  the  holes  in  the  disc,  through  a  trough 
of  water  80  feet  long,  and  back  again:  it  is  then  wound  on 
drums  ready  for  use.  The  "  leading  ''  wire  receives  two  coatings, 
separate  discs  having  larger  bores  being  attached  to  the  brass 
cylinder. 

A  house  is  attached  to  the  factory,  for  the  foreman  and  his 
family. 

Perfect  system  pervades  this  factory,  and  is  absolutely  neces- 


MAKINir     I  ill;    BXFLOD] 


sarv   in   the  manufacture  ot'  Nitro-Glycerin,  to  ensure   safety. 
diest   men  po-sible  are  selected  for  the  work,*  and  the 

ton-man    of  the   gutta  percha  department,   Mr.  Rohert  Wallace, 
-I'  the  mai-ir  i  skilful    machinist  and  a, 

'Uglily  trustworthy  Scotchman.  He  has  tour  son.-  employed. 
of  whom  one  takes  charge  of  the  works  at  Maysville,  Kentucky, 
another,  is  foreman  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin  facton. 

Tliree  men  are  employed  in  the  acid  house,  working  in  three 
shift>  of  fin-lit  hours  each,  hut  they  do  not  actually  work  more 
than  .seven  hour*:  every  movement  is  like  clock  work,  every 
man  has  hi.-  place  and  special  duty,  which  lie  i>  expe.-ted  to  per- 
at  the  proper  time.  In  the  morning,  at  7  or  7^-  A.  M.,  two 
men  dump  the  <-arbo\s  of  acid  into  the  soapstone  tank  and  mix 
tin-in,  while  a  third  is  tilling  the  glass,  jars  with  glycerin.  This 

tioii  takes  ahout  an  hour.  One  draws  the  acid,  another 
weighs  it,  and  a  third  carries  it  to  the  troughs.  After  an  inter- 
val during  which  the  acids  cool,  three  men  attend  closely  to  the 
converting  of  glycerin  into  Tri-Xitro-Glycerin,  knowing  that 
their  safety,  and  the  safety  of  <  very  man  on  the  works,  depends 
on  themselves  alone,  during  this  process.  After  the  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin  is  dumped  into  the  water  tank,  two  men  are  employed  in 
washing  it,  down  stairs,  while  two  wash  the  stone  pitchers  with 
water;  more  water,  temperature  ahout  60°,  is  swilled  on  the 
flour-  them  scrupulously  clean  and  perfectly  tree 

from  atoms  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  which,  stepped  upon  while  the  men 

at    work,  might  send  them  to  eternity,  and  the  Imildi: 
smithereens.     The   room  is  then  prepared  for  next  day's  upeni- 
tious,  and    l»y  about    one  or  two  o'clock,  after   six,    or   at 

.  hours'  work,  the  day's  ta>k  is  done.  Mr.  Wilson,  in  charge 
of  the  purifying  process,  canning,  and  preparing  tor  shipment, 
ha>  now  been  o\vr  four  years  at  this  work. 

Making  explode^  i-  a  distil.'  'ion,  requiring  great  pre- 

The   materials    of  which  the  priming  for  fu-es    i-   <-om- 

;.   are    prepared    in    my   private   laboratory,  and    • 
sulphide  and  phosphide  uf  copper  with  chlorate  of  potash.   Con- 

;ible    nicety    of  manipulation    is    required    to    prepare    the 

inpounds  so  as  to  obtain  horn-  j  .  uniform 

bulphides  and  ph<  .  and,  from  the  failure  of  several  chem- 

ists —  and  some  of  OUT  best  have  attempted  the  manufacture  —  to 

.re  them,  1  attach  great  importance  to  this  work,  invariably 


50  SAFE    PKIMl^G    FOR    ELECTKIC    FUSES. 


milking  them  myself.  For,  if  prepared  with  the  above  ingredi- 
ents no  accident  can  occur  from  atmospheric  electricity,  friction 
etc.,  a  contingency  which  all  other  primings  now  in  use  are  lia- 
ble to.  The  priming  is  then  taken  to  the  warehouse  where  from 
three  to  four  hands  are  employed  in  making  it  up  into  exploders. 
Two  insulated  wires  from  4  to  12  feet  long,  are  inserted  in  the 
smallest  end  of  a  wooden  tube,  previously  dipped  in  boiled  par- 
affine,  f  inch  long  and  £  inch  diameter  at  one  end,  and  £  at  the 
other,  to  which  they  are  fastened  by  a  shoulder  of  gutta-percha. 
Immediately  before  the  priming  is  inserted,  an  electric  spark  is 
passed  through  and  between  the  wires  where  the  priming  is  put 
so  as  to  ascertain  that  the  insulation  is  perfect,  and  to  guard 
against  the  possibility  of  a  miss-fire.  This  being  proved,  the 
priming  is  put  in  at  the  other  end  of  the  tube,  and  a  small  paper 
plug  boiled  in  paraffine  inserted  ;  then  a  copper  cap,  £  inch  long 
and  f  inch  diameter,  receives  20  grains  of  fulminate  of  mercury, 
on  the  top  of  which  a  varnish  is  poured  which  prevents  any  of 
the  fulminate  from  being  shaken  out  by  accident,  or  affected  by 
vibration.  This  copper  cap  is  then  placed  in  a  larger  wooden 
cap  1J  inch  long,  the  fuse  inserted  about  j-  inch,  when  it  fits 
tight,  the  wooden  part  painted  with  asphaltum  varnish  around 
the  joints,  and  the  exploder  is  complete  and  ready  for  service. 
Three  hands  employed  ought  to  make  1,000  a  day  of  these 
exploders. 

Having  thus  given  a  full  account  of  the  manufacture  of  Nitro- 
Glycerin  and  its  appurtenances,  I  will  conclude  \vith  the  remark 
that  there  is  no  danger  in  the  manufacture  when  due  precaution 
is  used ;  but,  to  paraphrase  the  language  of  Professor  Tyndall, 
in  his  preface  to  "Hours  of  Exercise  in  the  Alps":  "  For  rash- 
ness, ignorance,  or  carelessness,  Nitro-Glycerin  leaves  no  mar- 
gin ;  and  to  rashness,  ignorance,  or  carelessness,  three-fourths  of 
the  catastrophes  which  shock  us  are  to  be  traced." 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Explosive  Mixtures. 

The  laws  of  nature  are  immutable.  To-day,  to-morrow,  for- 
ever—  unchanged,  unchangeable,  as  the  great  Creator  himself, 
who  established  them,  and  it  is  only  from  scientific  research, 
starting  with  the  conviction  that  these  laws  are  God's  laws,  and 
then-fore  immutable,  that  results  of  general  utility  can  be  ob- 
tained. Believing  that  every  tiling  which,  in  common  parlance, 
is  termed  "an  accident,''  is  simply  a  violation  of  these  "laws 
through  carelessness  or  ignorance,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  scientific 
chemist  to  investigate  the  causes  and  effects  of  the  adherence  to 
or  violation  of  these  laws  in  regard  to  the  science  of  which  he  is  a 
student.  As  a  chemist  I  have  accordingly  applied  myself  to  a 
close  examination  of  the  phenomena  attending  the  preparation 
and  use  of  Xitro-Glvcerin,  and  consequently  to  the  investigation 
of  the  mixtures  purporting  to  be  substitutes  for  Nitre-Glycerin 
and  gunpowder,  of  which  Nitre-Glycerin  is  the  active  base. 

And  this  brings  before  me,  in  all  their  glaring  defects,  the 
anomalies  of  the  patent  system  of  our  country,  especially  in 
regard  to  chemical  compounds.  For  the  past  hundred  years. 
•hemi>ts  the  world  has  ever  known,  have  given  the 
results  of  their  researches  free,  and  untrammelled  by  any 
patent.-,  though  they  might,  indeed,  have  justly  taken  toll  of 
the  world  at  large  for  their  discoveries.  I  need  only  instance 
Eer/elius,  who  threw  open  to  the  world  the  numerou>  di-«-ov- 
eries  of  his  long  and  valuable  life,  and  Pelouze,  the  celebrated 
French  cheimVt,  who  devoted  fifteen  years  of  his  life  to  the 
'igation  of  the  con.-titiu-nts  of  tatty  matters  and  their  de- 


52  CHEMICAL    PATENTS. 


composition  into  stearic,  margaric,  oleic  acids  and  glycerin.  Let 
the  reader  picture  to  himself,  for  a  moment,  what  would  have 
been  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  manufacturing  world,  had  all  the 
chemists  of  the  last  fifty  years  patented  every  discovery  they 
made,  every  mode  of  preparation  they  suggested;  how  dark, 
gloomy  and  uncertain  would  the  path  of  our  manufactures  ha  ve 
been;  they  must  almost  have  stood  still  until  these  patents, 
and  perhaps  their  renewals  also,  had  expired.  By  such  a  course, 
the  bleaching  and  printing  of  cottons,  and  all  the  numerous  pro- 
cesses dependent  on  applied  chemistry,  would  have  been  deferred 
half  a  century ;  for  it  is  only  by  the  quick,  free  application  of 
the  discoveries. of  the  unselfish  chemist,  that  the  progress  that 
has  been  made  was  possible.  What  a  contrast  to  the  self- 
aggrandizement  of  the  present  race  of  patent-seeking  chemists  ! 
An  individual,  with  the  labors  of  the  grand  army  of  scientific 
chemists  for  the  past  hundred  years  before  him,  selects  one,  two 
or  three  chemical  compounds,  mixes  them,  modifies  to  a  certain 
extent  some  property  of  either  of  them,  applies  for,  and  obtains, 
a  patent.  Then  for  seventeen  years  this  "ghoul"  sits  over  his 
mixture,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  a  lawyer,  proceeds  to  black- 
mail any  one,  who,  in  attaining  certain  results,  is  led  by  the 
properties  of  the  several  compounds  to  avail  himself  of  a  simi- 
lar mixture.  The  discovery  of  a  Sobrero  is  attempted  to  1  >e 
appropriated  by  a  Nobel  and  his  assignees,  and,  witli  the  confi- 
dence inspired  by  the  weakness  of  a  patent  examiner,  who 
chuckles  at  the  delusion  of  the  patentee,  they  absolutely  infer 
that,  because  they  have  a  patent,  they  can  appropriate  the  result 
of  the  chemist's  labors  obtained  20  years  before.  The  patent 
office  secures  $35.00,  the  examiner  his  salary,  and  the  ceilings  of 
the  noble  building  at  Washington  are  ultra-marined,  until  the 
visitor's  eyes  are  dazzled  with  the  brilliant  color.  Finally 
comes  a  suit  in  chancery,  in  which  thousands  of  dollars  are 
expended,  and  in  which  these  stealers  of  other  in  ens'  brains, 
count  less  on  their  claim  than  on  the  hope  that  they  may  so 
interlere  with  their  opponent's  occupation,  and  so  deplete  his 
pocket  with  law-costs,  that  he  will  submit  to  accept  a  free 
license,  at  least,  and  thus  enable  them  to  terrify  others  into  pay- 
ment. 

The  above  remarks  are  somewhat  of  a  digression  from  the 
subject  of  this  chapter,  but,  I  think  most  of  my   readers   will 


•ATK.NTKD     MI\TTRK>. 


admit  that  thev  are  hy  no  means  uncalled  tor.  I  have  heen 
told,  and  the  ne\\>paper>  teem  with  assertions,  that  these  pa- 
tented explosive  compounds,  with  high  sounding  names,  will 
hear  "tamping"  •'»>  hard  as  gunpowder,  are  >afer,  more  power- 
t'ul  and  cheaper  than  Nitro-(;ivrerin.  We  are  a  people.  Uar- 
num  sav>.  who  like  to  he  hnmhugged  ;  I  am  afraid  we  are  not 
the  only  people  who  like  t<>  he  Immhugged  —  it  is  a  weakn- 
humanity  —  hut  this  I  dohelieve;  the  man  who  i>  addicted  to 
hnmliiiir,  had  hetter  ijive  NTitro-Glycerin  a  wide  herth,  that  is,  if 
he  hop<->  to  end  hi>  day-  on  a  leather  hed. 

Let  u>  hrietfv  examine  the-e  patents  —  the  Lord  deliver  us 
from  all  such — for  explosive  mixtures,  and  >ee  the  amount  of 
invention  required. 

For  a    mixture   of  Nitro-Glycerin  with  rotten-stone,  a   patent 
granted,  and  fthe  name  hring  the  only  real  invention)  it  was 
called  "dynamite."  ' 

Make  a  mixture  of  Nitro-Glycerin  and  sponge,  and  patent  it, 
and  forthwith  "  Porifera  nitrolenm"  i-  presented  to  an  admiring 

Add  plaster  of  Paris  to  Nitro-Glvcerin,  patent  it,  and  you 
have  in  all  its  explosive  power,  "Selenitic  Powder."  £ 

Trv  red  lead  and  Nitro-Glycerin  together,  and  when  patented, 
••  Metalline  Xitroleum  "  is  the  hist  new  <ensation  to  astonish  the 
weak  nerves  of  contractors.  ? 

Take  some  gunpowder  in  a  tine  state  of  division,  and  moisten 
it  with  Nitro-Glycerin  until  it  heroines  "the  color  of  mud  and 

-  'Dynamite"  -  Patent  No.  78,317,  dated  May  26,  1868,  granted  to  Alfred  Nobel,  of 
Hamburg,  Germany,  assignor  to  Julius  Bandmann,  of  San  Francisco,  California. 
The  following  is  the  substance  of  the  claim  :  "  My  invention  consists  in  combining 
with  Nit  ro-dlycerin  a  substance  which  possesses  a  very  great  absorbent  capacity, 
ami  which  at  the  same  time,  is  free  from  any  quality  which  will  decompose, de.-troy, 
or  injure  the  Nitro-<;iyeerin,  or  its  explosiveness.  The  substance  which  most  fully 
the  requirements  above  mentioned,  so  far  as  I  know,  is  a  certain  kind  of 
silieious  earth,  known  under  tho  various  names  of  silicious  marl,  tripoli,  rotten- 
stone. 

I'c.rilera  Nitrolenm"  Patent  No .  :»:;  i:,:',,  dated  Au-.  17.  I >•;•.>.  granted  to  Talia- 
terro  P.  -liartixT,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  The  claim  is  as  follows :  -'I  claim  a 
compound  Composed  of  a  mixture  of  Nitro-Glycerin  with  sponge  or  other  vi'ir«'ta- 
}>]>-  li 

ienitic  Powder"— Patent  No.  !>;,7.T2.  date<l  A ug.  17,  1869,  granted  to  Talia- 
ferro  P.  Shaflher,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  The  claim  is  as  follows :  •'  I  claim  the 
combining  of  uitroleum  or  Nitro-«,lycerin  with  plaster  of  Paris,  or  equivalent  sub- 

-uch  manner  as  will  make  an  explosive  compound." 

•  Mflul'iiie     Nitrolenm  "  —  Patent   Xo.   !>:5,7.'d,   dated    Aui^.    17,     1869,   granted   to 
erro   P.    ^halYner,   of  Louisville,   Kentucky.    Claim   as  follows:    "I  claim   a 
compound  composed  of  a  mixture  of  Nitro-Glycerin  with  metallic  powder  or  atoms, 
however  formed  or  produced." 


54  LITHOFBAOTEl'R DUALIN. 


about  the  consistency  of  putty  "  ;  assure  the  editor  of  the  Bar- 
numtown  Inquirer,  that  it  has  five  times  the  explosive  power  of 
Nitro-Glycerin,  and  forthwith  a  flaming  article  appears,  upon  the 
new  explosive  agent,  "  Lithofracteur."  * 

Make  a  compound  of  sawdust  and  Nitre-Glycerin;  and  let 
your  patent  prove  that  you  are  unacquainted  with  the  common- 
est properties  of  sulphuric  acid  and  charcoal,  that,  on  the  face  of 
it,  your  preparation  cannot  possibly  l>e  made  as  you  describe 
(that  is  not  the  business  of  the  ex;i miner,  or  if  it  be,  he  is  so 
bothered  by  Prussian  officers  that  these  facts  escape  bis  notice), 
on  payment  of  $35.00,  a  patent  will  issue,  give  it  a  name,  say, 
"Dualin",  boldly  assert  that  its  properties  are  unequalled;  let 
a  governor  of  a  state,  whose  experience  is  confined  to  fire-crack- 
ers, witness  an  explosion  (it  is  not  material  what  substance  you 
explode  before  him),  hire  a  steamer,  give  a  splendid  collation, 
invite  all  the  reporters  within  reach,  make  any  statements  you- 
please  to  them  (they  will  be  swallowed  along  with  the  collation, 
especially  if  washed  down  with  plenty  of  Pleidsick),  and  there 
is  no  telling  where  this  halo  of  a  patent  may  not  carry  the  un- 
scrupulous patentee.  | 

But  these  assertions  involve  loss  of  life,  as,  for  instance, 
when  Joseph  Butloe  was  killed  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel.  He  was 
attempting  to  introduce  a  dualin  cartridge  into  a  drill-hole,  and 
as  it  did  not  reach  the  bottom  of  the  hole  he  endeavored  to 
push  it  in  further  with  a  "tamping  stick,"  a  method  which  the 
inventor  of  dualin  advocated,  and  regarded  as  perfectly  safe. 
Unfortunately,  however,  in  the  present  case  it  was  not  so,  the 
explosion  following  the  first  6*  tamp  "  instantly  killing  the  opera- 
tor, and  exploding  the  mis-statements  of  the  patentee. 

Truly,  these  gentlemen  are  wonderful  mathematicians;  they 
have  discovered  that  a  part  is  greater  than  the  whole,  that  vari- 
ous mixtures  of  inert  matter  with  Nitro-Glycerin,  have  greater 
explosive  power  than  Nitro-Glycerin  per  sc. 

A<  Dualin  is  the  only  one  of  these  compounds  that  has  been 
attempted  to  be  brought  in  any  way  into  competition  with  ISTitro- 
Glycerin,  in  the  Eastern  States,  a  synopsis  of  the-  results  may 

*  "  Lithofracteur  "—For  a  wonder  this  has  not  been  patented. 

t  "  Dualin  "  —  Patent  Xo.  !)8,a>i,  dated  January  18,  187",-granted  to  Carl  Dittnmr,  of 
Chaiiottenberg,  Prussia.  Claim  as  follows :  "  J  claim  a  compound  consisting  of 
cellulose,  nitro  cellulose,  nitro-stavch,  nitro-mannite  and  Nitro-Glycerin,  mixed  in 
different  combinations,  depending-  on  the  degree  of  strength  which  it  is  desired  the 
powder  should  possess  in  adapting  its  use  to  various  purposes." 


KXl'MKIMKNT-     WITH     WAUN.  55 


~s  intere-t.     Some  six  different  parcels  of  dnalin  in  all,  liave 

experimented  with  .-it  the  Hoo>ac  Tunnel,  and  of  the>e the 
shipment, being  useless  at  the  West  Knd,  was  forwarded  to  the 
Central  Shaft,  and  there  again  tried,  but  the  effects,  a-  compared 
with  the  Xitro-Glvcorin  supplied  by  the  writer,  were  not  such  as 
to  justify  the  contractors  in  continuing  its  use,  consequently  it 
•hrown  out.  Another  parcel,  intended  to  he  stronger, 
shipped  in  the  hot  summer  of  1870,  exploded  in  the  cars  in 
transit  at  Worcester,  proving,  what  had  heen  suspected  from  a 
perusal  of  the  dnalin  patents,  that  the  inventor  was  really  igno- 
rant of  the  properties  of  the  materials  of  which  his  combination 
••>mpo>ed.  From  evidence  adduced  at  Worcester,  given  hy 
tlie  compounder  of  diialin,  and  also  hy  a  manufacturer  of  ex- 
ploders, some  of  whose  wares  were  in  the  same  car,  it  appeared 
that  the  Nitro-Glycerin  exuding  from  the  mixture  of  sawdust 
i4-<»  percent.)  and  Nitro-Glvcerin  (P>0  per  cent.)  of  which  the 
dualin.  made  at  that  time  by  Mr.  Dittmar,  was  comp 
flowed  in  a  pool  on  the  Hour  of  the  car,  and.  when  the  cars  were 
set  in  motion,  a  series  of  sharp  detonations  ensued,  probably 
from  this  pool  of  Xitro-Glycerin  running  on  to  the  wheels  and 
being  compressed  or  hammered  during  the  revolution  of  the 
car  wheels  on  the  rail>,  tiring  the  pool,  which  in  turn  tired  the 
whole  shipment  of  dualin,  together  with  the  exploder.-. 

After  >ome  months  further  shipments  were  made,  and   in   all 

the  trials  made  with  these  were  superintended  by  the  in- 

troduc.-r   of  dualin,  and,  in   every   case  but  one,   were  reported 

failures,    and    rejected.      In    the    case    in   which   a   succe—  was 

reported,  a   >mall  parcel  only  was  brought  along,  and  exploded 

side    hy    side    with    Nitro-Glycerin ;  that    is,    four   holes    were 

charged   with   dualin,  ami   four  other  holes  nearly   parallel   with 

them  were  charged  with  Xitro-Glycerin.      The  enlargement  was 

brought   down,  but  whether  the  work  wa>  principally  done  with 

Nitro-Glycerin,  and  only  partially  by  the  dualin,  wa>  left  to  COtt- 

jecture.      The    foreman    of  the    driller.-    a»«-rted     that    the    side 

jed    with   dualin    was  seamy,  whilst  the  >ide  containing  the 

Nitro- Glycerin    wa-   solid,  and  without  anv  seam.      However,    it 

laimed  by  the  inventor  that  dualin  was  now  a  success,   and 

a  further  trial,  vr/..  :   the  -ixth,  was  undertaken,  and   1. :»()<»  ]h>.  of 

dnalin  brought  on  the  ground,  about  the  '2^\\  of  November,  1  870, 

le^dav,  the  -jsth,  the  experiments  under  the  supervision  of 


NITBO-aLYCERIN    T.    PUALIN. 


Mr.  Dittmar  commenced,  and  were  continued  on  the  29th  and 
30th,  but  they  demonstrated  beyond  cavil,  there  being  no  Nitro- 
Glycerin  fired  at  the  same  time  to  assist  them,  that  dualin  was  of 
"no  account,"  not  one  single  hole  having  been  "bottomed,"  and, 
again,  the  dualin  left  over  from  this  experiment,  1,->00  Ibs.,  was 
thrown  out,  as  utterly  unable  to  effect  the  blasting  results  ob- 
tained by  the  Nitro-Glycerin  it  was  brought  to  supersede.  Four 
hundred  pounds  of  this  was  ordered  to  the  Central  shaft,  but 
the  results  at  the  East  End  being  so  conclusive,  it  was  consigned, 
like  all  the  previous  shipments,  to  the  tomb  of  the  Capulets,  and 
was  subsequently  used  up  for  trimming,  in  lieu  of  powder. 

In  a  previous  chapter,  I  gave  a  full  account  of  the  experiments 
made  at  Hallett's  Point,  New  York.  On  that  occasion,  General 
Newton,  of  the  United  States  Engineers,  reported  to  me  that  he 
considered  that  Nitro-Glycerin,  in  point  of  economy  and  power, 
had  the  advantage  over  both  dualin  and  powder  even  when  supple- 
mented by  fulminating  fuse.  The  advantages  claimed  (only  by 
the  inventor) -for  dualin,  are,  that  it  is  cheaper,  safer,  and  more 
powerful  than  Nitro-Glycerin,  and  some  experiments  made  in 
Prussia,  are  adduced  in  proof.  I  have  to  observe,  on  this  point, 
that  the  Nitro-Glycerin  made  by  the  Nobel  process,  probably 
used  in  Prussia,  is  very  inferior  to  the  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin  made 
by  my  process,  both  in  stability  and  in  explosive  force,  and  it  is 
much  more  readily  exploded,  fifteen  grains  of  fulminate  of  mer- 
cury being  necessary  to  ensure  explosion  of  this  latter,  without 
chance  of  failure.  Nobel's  Nitro-Glycerin  is  said  to  expand 
when  solid,  in  which  state  the  slightest  friction  is  said  to  explode 
it,  while  Mow-bray's  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin  actually  contracts  about 
one-tenth  in  bulk  when  solidifying,  and  cannot  be  exploded  when 
in  the  solid  state,  except  by  a  heavy  charge  of  fluid  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin fired  with  it.  Nobel's  preparation  is  yellow,  and  gives  off' 
nitrous  lume>,  and  is  claimed  by  the  patentee  to  solidify  at  50° 
F.,  while  MowbrayV  is  colorless  as  water  and  solidifies  at  45°  F. 

It  may  be  possible,  but  not  probable,  therefore,  that  Nobel's 
Nitro-Glycerin  is  inferior  to  DittinarV  dunlin,  as  used  in  Prussia; 
the  latter  then  said  to  have  been  a  preparation  of  nitrate  of 
ammonia,  sawdust  immersed  in  sulpho-nitric  acid  and  Nitro- 
Glycerin:  but  that  40  per  cent,  of  \vasl led  sawdust  (not  treated 
with  sulpho-nitric  acid),  moistened  witli  KO  per  cent,  of  a  dark 
colored  and  evidently  impure  Nitro-Glycerin,  and  such  was 


ANALYSIS     (>K     DIM. IN.  .".  7 


Dittmar's  dualin   analysed   by  me,  should  -in-pass,  in  blasting,  a 
chemically   pure    Nitro-Glycerin,  is  to  c.\j)ect   »>0   cents  of  cur- 
rency to  have  more  value  than  100  cents  of  gold,  or  that  a  part 
ater  than  the  whole. 

As  I  have  above  referred  to  my  analysis  ot  ^^r.  Dittmar's 
dualin,  I  will  give  in  full  the  process  and  result  of  the  same,  for 
the  benefit  of  the  reader. 

Twenty  (20)  grammes  of  dualin  were  allowed  to  digest  in  a 
glass  tube  for  several  days,  covered  with  washed  sulphuric  ether. 
The  ether  was  then  drawn  oft',  and  the  residue  in  the  glass  tube 
washed  with  ether  until  the  cessation  of  the  peculiar  persistent 
taste  of  Nitro-Glycerin.  causing  the  "Glycerin  headache,"  prov- 
ed the  Nitro-Glycerin  was  exhausted.  The  residual  woody  fibre 
was  now  dried  thoroughly,  and  weighed  eight  grammes.  A  por- 
tion of  it  thrown  on  a  red-hot  plate  did  not  deflagrate;  this  in- 
dicated it  had  not  been  treated  with  nitric  acid,  and  had  not 
been  converted  into  nitro-eellulose.  Washed  in  distilled  water, 
and  the  washings  evaporated,  no  saline  or  crystalline  salt  was 
obtained.  The  residue,  dried  and  thrown  on  a  red-hot  plate, 
charred  and  burnt  like  any  other  sawdust.  Now,  T  assert  posi- 
tively,the  dualin  I  analysed,  furnished  by  Mr.  Dittmar  himself  for 
blasting  in  the  Tunnel,  was  simply  a  compound  of  washed 
dust  and  Nitro-Glycerin  (actually  yellow  fuming  Nitro-Glycerin.) 

I  have  deemed  it  due  to  myself  to  extend  these  observations 
further  than  I  intended,  but,  in  the  interest  of  truth,  I  could  not 
permit  the  friendly  notice-  of  the  press,  which  have  been  indus- 
triously secured,  nor  the  biassed  views,  of  men  employed  in  explod- 
ing, (to  whom  payment  of  ten  dollars  was  promised,  for  every 
case  of  dualin  used,  to  exaggerate  results),  to  mislead  mining 
contractors,  and  I  stand  prepared  to  prove  that  100  parts  dualin 
are  oidy  equal  to  50  parts  pure  Nitro-Glycerin,  for  practical 
bla.-ting  purposes.  Dualin  is  a  mixture  varying  according  to  the 
humor  of  the  compounder,  but  never  exceeding  one-half  the 
strength  of  Tri-Nitro-Glyceri  i  ;  it  has  all  the  danger  of  the 
Nobel  Nitro-Glycerin,  with  the  additional  tendency  to  decom- 
position, sworn  to  by  Mr.  Dittmar  himself  at  the  AVorcoster  in- 
_:ition,  n\ring  to  its  being  an  admixture  of  organic  matter 
with  Nitro-Glycerin, and  its  inventor,  (as  evidenced  by  his  patent, 
where  he  proposes  io  concentrate  sulphuric  acid,  and  free  it  from 
nitrogen,  by  boiling  it  with  charcoal  ! ),  does  not  understand  the 


58  A    CHAPTER    ON    LITIGATION. 

properties  of  the  commonest  commercial  compounds  he  under- 
takes to  handle.  These  facts  determine,  I  submit,  the  superior 
advantage  of  a  uniform  chemical  product  produced  under  inva- 
riable conditions,  especially  since  it  is  more  difficult  to  explode 
it,  and  it  is  proportionately  safer,  and,  above  all,  has  double  the 
effective  force. 

Mr.  Dittmar's  promises  have  failed,  and  his  representations 
have  been  disproved  by  the  results  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel.  Up 
to  October,  1870,  he  had  six  trials,  of  which  he  only  claims  one 
as  a  success,  though  he  did  succeed  in  inducing  the  employees 
to  misrepresent  the  facts  to  the  contractors,  and  thereby  obtain- 
ed a  testimonial;  but  over  two  thousand  Jpounds  of  his  dualin 
was  buried  in  the  Berkshire  mountains  —  a  stern  pecuniary  les- 
son, verifying  the  truth  of  the  old  Roman  .  apothegm,  so  much 
neglected  in  modern  times  —  "  Magna  est  veritas  et  prevalebit." 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Nitro-Glyeerin  Patents  and  Litigation. 

It  is  seldom  that  any  valuable  invention  has  been  brought 
into  public  use  without  costly  litigation  being  entailed  on  the 
inventor;  and  especially  is  this  the  case  in  chemical  discoveries, 
either  by  pretenders  who  would  interfere  with  the  inventor  who 
has  turned  his  discovery  to  practical  account,  on  the  plea  of  hav- 
ing previously  conceived  the  same  idea,  or  by  unscrupulous  in- 
dividuals who  would  appropriate  to  their  own  use,  without  pay- 
ment, the  fruits  of  the  labors  of  other  men's  brains  ;  hence  the 
writer  did  not  altogether  escape,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following 
remarks  on  the  subject. 

I  will  commence  by  stating  briefly  that  a  patent  was  granted 
and  four  re-issues  of  the  same  made  to  Alfred  Nobel  and  his 
assignees,  for  the  use  of  Nitro-Glycerin  for  blasting  purposes, 


Miners  ascending  Central  Shaft. 


ol'IMOiV    OF    COVNBKL.  59 


when  "confined,"  and  for  a  process  of  manufacturing  the  same, 

by  running  the  glycerin  and  mixed  acids  together  rapidly,  in 
suitable  proportions,  into  a  tank  of  water.-  Now,  it  lias  never 
b»-cn  denied  that  Sobrero  was  tlie  discoverer  of  Nitro-Glycerin, 
and  that  it  was  competent  for  any  one  to  manufacture  that  arti- 
cle. The  only  point,  therefore,  on  which  a  patent  could  be  ob- 
tained was  for  some  improved  method  of  making  it.  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  course  of  experiments,  I  discovered  that  by  passing 
a  current /of  cold,  compressed  air  through  the  mixing  glycerin 
and  acids,  a  very  valuable  improvement  was  effected,  economiz- 
ing time  and  material,  and  rendering  the  process  of  manufactur- 
ing safer;  and  for  this  I  obtained  a  patent  on  April  7,  1868. 

That  my  readers  may  see  how  far  1  was  correct  in  my  esti- 
mate of  the  patentable  value  of  my  invention,  I  give  below  the 
opinion  of  eminent  counsel*: 

NEW  YORK,  July  10,  1869. 
GEO.  M.  MOWBRAY,  ESQ.: 

Dear  Sir : — Pursuant  to  your  request,  I  have  examined  your 
Letters  Patent  of  the  United  States  for  inventions  in  the  manu- 
facture of  Nitro-Glycerin,  dated  the  7th  April,  1868.  1  recol- 
f  aiding  you  in  preparing  the  application  for  that  patent, 
and  of  examining  it  immediately  after  it  was  issued.  I  believed 
then  that  that  patent  was  good  and  valid,  and  nothing  since  has 
occurred  that  has  changed  my  opinion  or  shaken  my  confidence 
concerning  its  validity. 

I  have  recently  examined  copies  of  the  five  re-issued  patents 
to  assignees  of  Alfred  Nobel,  and  I  find  nothing  in  them,  or  any 
of  them,  which  impairs  the  validity  of  your  patent. 

I  further  say,  that  it  is  my  opinion,  and  clearly  so,  that  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  Nitro-Glycerin  made  according  to  the 
process  described  in  your  patent,  does  not  infringe  upon  any  of 
the  five  re-issued  patents  granted  to  the  assignees  of  Nobel ;  and 
that  so  far  as  any  of  those  re-issued  patents  are  concerned,  or 
anything  else  that  I  know  of,  you  have  a  clear  right  to  manufac- 
ture and  sell  Nitro-Glycerin  according  to  your  patent. 

Very  respectfully, 

GEO.  GIFFORD,  Counsellor  at  Law. 


60  DECISIONS    IN    MATTER    OF    INTERFERENCE. 


Tliis  discovery  was  not  allowed  to  pass  unchallenged,  for  Mr. 
Tal.  P.  Shaffner,  having  learnt  that  I  had  obtained  a  patent, 
came  forward  with  a  claim  that  he  had  conceived  the  idea  (!)  in 
1805;  and  in  January,  1869,  nearly  a  year  after  the  application 
for  the  patent  which  was  granted  to  me,  he  applied  for  a  patent 
for  the  same  thing.  This  brought  our  respective  rights  before 
the  Patent  Office  in  a  matter  of  interference.  However,  the 
following  remarks  by  Mr.  John  W.  Thacher,  Examiner  of  In- 
terferences, in  giving  his  decision  on  the  case,  will  show  pretty 
clearly  to  whom  the  right  to  a  patent  justly  belongs.  He  says : 

"  The  principle  is  well  established  that  he  who  first  reduces 
an  invention  to  practical  form  Is  ^entitled  to  a  patent  therefor. 
Applying  this  test  in  this  case,  the  right  to  a  patent  seems  to 
rest  entirely  in  Mowbray,  and  the  invention  is  accordingly 
awarded  to  the  patentee." 

And  again  Mr.  Samuel  S.  Fisher,  the  Commissioner  of  Pa- 
tents, in  giving  his  decision,  remarks : 

"  The  story  of  Shaffner  is  not  that  of  a  man  who  had  invented 
anything.  He  had  a  theory,  talked  about  it,  doubted  its  value ; 
did  not  experiment  to  satisfy  himself,  until  Mowbray  was  manu- 
facturing on  a  large  scale  ;  and  evidently  did  not  intend  to  apply 
for  a  patent  at  all.  I  can  find  none  of  the  ear-marks  of  a  per- 
fected invention,  carried  beyond  the  region  of  experiment;  still 
less  of  any  trace  of  diligence.  Priority  is  awarded  to  Mowbray." 

As  previously  noted,  the  Nobel  patent  with  its  re-issnes,  in 
four  divisions,  and  twenty-four  columns  of  specifications,  con- 
taining eight  claims  drawn  up  expressly  to  intercept  infringers, 
specifically,  emphatically,  and  unmistakably  insisted: 

1st.  That  Nobel  discovered  it  was  necessary  to  confine  Nitro- 
Glycerin  in  order  to  explode  it,  and  that  it  was  practically  im- 
possible to  explode  it  unconfined. 

2d.  That  heat  and  pressure  were  the  agents  necessary  for  a 
successful  explosion  of  Nitro-Glycerin. 

The  writer,  however,  discovered  that  the  heat,  pressure  and 
confinement,  claimed  by  the  Nobel  patent  and  re-issues,  were 
unnecessary,  by  charging  an  open  glass  tube  with  Nitro-Gly- 


PROFESSOR  BARKER'S  KVIDENCE.  61 


cerin,  tin-  glas>  tube  being  immer>ed  in  water,  and  the  Nitro- 
Gl\  cerin  exploded  by  the  concussion  of  a  cap  containing  fulmi- 
nate of  mercury,  and  >o  succeeded  in  extricating  himself  from 
the  domain  of  the  Nobel  patents  and  their  particular  claims. 
IJnt  he  could  not  extricate  himself  from  litigation;  the  in- 
solvent a>-igiiee,  the  Tinted  States  Blasting  Oil  Company,  clear- 
ly perceiving  that  the  monopoly,  as  they  had  termed  it,  was 
gone,  now  resorted  to  the  "pis  allerv  of  litigation,  misrepresent- 
ation, and  threatening  every  one  who  used  MowbravV  Nitro- 
Glvcerin,  with  the  trouble  of  making  affidavits,  engaging  coun- 
sel, and  collecting  evidence,  a  by  no  means  to  be  despised  ag- 
gressive warfare  to  contractors,  who  need  all  their  time,  all 
their  capital,  and  all  their  ingenuity,  to  carry  out  their  contracts 
to  a  profitable  result.  Guaranteeing  the  payment  of  enforced 
damages,  1  met  this  fiank  movement  by  engaging  the  l»e>t  coun- 
sel, and  resolutely  set  about  terminating  the  pretensions  of  these 
patents. 

A  Suit  in  Equity  wa>  commenced  in  the  Circuit  Court  of  the 
United  States,  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  during  the 
May  Term,  1870,  by  the 

INIIKD  STATES  BLASTIXO  OIL  COMPANY  OF  NEW  YORK,  BY  ITS 

PRESIDENT"  TAL.  P.  SHAFFNER, 

vs. 
GEO.  M   Mow  BRAY,  J.  H.  KING,  CHAS.  LOBB,  W.  L.  HOLBROOK, 

JAMES  DICKEY  AND  A.  D.  HATFIELD. 

A-  the  sworn  affidavits  in  the  above  case,  now  pending,  are  of 
great  importance  in  substantiating,  both  practically  and  legally, 
the  claim-  urged  in  previou>  observations,  on  behalf  of  the 
"Mowbray  system"  of  manufacturing  and  using  Nitro-Glyeerin, 

I  give  below  the  substance  ot  the  testimony. 

Evidence  of    George    F.   Barker.    Professor   ot    Physiological 

Chemi.-try  and  Toxicology  in  the    Medical  Department   of  Yale 

('oil' 

"I  have  carefully  examined  the  several  re-i>-ued  patents.  Nos. 
3,377,  3,378,  3,379,  3,380,  3,381  and  3,382,  the  four  former  be- 
ing division^  A,  B,  C  and  D,  of  the  re-i>>ued  patent,  granted 
upon  the  surrender  of  the  original  patent  No.  50,617,  dated 


02  REBUTTAL    OF    NOBEI/S     ASSERTIONS. 

October  24th,  1865,  and  the  two  latter  divisions  1  and  2  of  the 
original  patent,  also  granted  to  the  assignees  of  Alfred  Nobel, 
on  surrender  of  the  original  patent  No.  57,175,  dated  August 
14th,  1866,  granted  to  said  Alfred  Nobel.  I  would  further 
state  that  in  the  specifications  of  the  before  mentioned  re-issues 
it  is  asserted  that  Sobrero  discovered  that  Glycerin  was  capable 
of  giving,  when,  mixed  with  sulphuric  and  nitric  acids,  a  sub- 
stance analogous  to  gun  cotton,  which  is  true;  and  that  the 
specifications  of  the  said  patents  further  state  that  "Sobrero 
abandoned  further  research  with  the  declared  opinion  that  its 
combustion  or  explosion  could  not  be  managed";  which  state- 
ment, having  read  all  which  Sobrero  is  believed  to  have  publish- 
ed upon  the  subject,  viz. :  his  papers  published  in  the  Comptes 
E-endus  de  L'Acadeinie  des  Sciences,  Volume  XXIV.,  page  247, 
printed  in  Paris  A.  D.  1847,  and  in  the  Repertoire  de  Chimie 
Applique,  Volume  II.,  page  400,  printed  in  Paris  in  1860, 1  have 
entirely  failed  to  find  recorded  by  him  as  his  opinion. 

J.  E.  de  Vrij  also,  in  a  communication  to  the  British  Asso- 
ciation-, which  was  read  in  July,  1851,  and  is  published  in  the 
report  of  the  association  for  the  year  1851,  page  52  (Notices  and 
Abstracts),  states  in  regard  to  Nitro-Glycerin,  that  it  "explodes 
at  a  moderate  heat,  as  was  shown  by  experiment,  detonating 
when  the  drops  of  Nitro-Glycerin  on  paper  were,  struck  a  smart 
blow  with  a  hammer." 

The  before-mentioned  re-issued  patents  further  assert  that  "in 
order  to  explode  the  whole,  or  even  a  large  proportion  of  the 
mass  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  it  is  necessary  to  subject  it  to  confine- 
ment or  restraint";  which  assertion  is  untrue,  for  Nitro-Glycerin, 
when  freely  exposed  to  the  air  in  an  open  vessel  or  plate,  may 
be  and  is  capable  of  being  readily  exploded,  without  confine- 
ment, restraint,  or  pressure,  as  1  have  proved  by  experiment 
made  at  North  Adams,  on  the  17th  day  of  May,  1870,  in  ex- 
ploding upon  two  occasions  a  quantity  of  Nitro-Glycerin  in  an 
open  saucer  with  great  violence,  on  which  occasion  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin  was  exploded  by  simple  concussion  in  open  vessels,  the 
fulminate  cap  used  as  the  exploder  being  suspended  above  the 
surface  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin  in  the  saucer,  and  distant  nearly 
two  inches  from  it;  so  that  the  application  of  heat  and  pressure, 
or  of  either  of  these  agencies,  is  unnecessary. 

The  said  re-issued  patents  further  assert,  that  "  the  degree  of 


CONFINEMENT     I  N  N  E-  KSSARY    TO    EXPLODE    NITRO-GTArOERIX.     63 

confinement  must  be  sufficient  to  allow  a  pressure  upon  the 
Nitm-Glvceriri  to  an  extent  that  360°  F.  will  be  realized,  so 
that  decomposition  will  take  place  before  the  liquid  can  escape 
the  force  or  heat  of  the  evolved  gases  of  a  percussion  cap,  etc."; 
whereas  I  found  on  the  above  occasion  that  when  water  was  in- 
terposed between  the  Nitro-Glycerin  and  the  percussion  cap,  so 
that  no  measurable  increase  ot  temperature  (much  less  360°  F.) 
could  possibly  occur  in  the  former,  the  Nitro-Glycerin  could  be 
exploded. 

In  the  tirst  experiment  three  tubes,  closed  at  bottom  and  con- 
taining half  an  ounce  of  Nitro-Glycerin  each,  were  placed  in 
water  in  a  tumbler,  being  supported  an  inch  from  the  bottom. 
Into  the  water  in  the  tumblers,  and  outside  of  the  tubes,  distant 
from  them  nearly  an  inch,  the  fulminate  cap  was  put.  This 
was  then  tired,  and  caused  the  explosion  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin 
through  the  intervening  water.  In  the  second  experiment,  using 
a  tub  ot  water  in  which  eleven  tubes  containing  Nitro-Glycerin 
were  placed,  the  explosion  ot  six  fulminate  caps  failed  to  fire  the 
Nitro-Glycerin,  the  distance  from  the  tubes  at  which  they  were 
placed,  nearly  or  quite  ten  inches,  being  too  great.  In  the  third 
experiment  five  such  tubes  of  Nitro-Glycerin  were  suspended  in 
a  tub  of  water  distant  four  or  five  inches  from  each  other,  the 
fulminate  cap  being  inserted  in  the  middle  tube.  On  tiring 
this  cap  the  Nitro-Glycerin  in  all  the  tubes  was  exploded,  as 
judged  trom  the  violent  effects  produced. 

The  *aid  re-issued  patents  further  assert  that  "Gun  cotton 
will  explode  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  confinement,  igni.t- 
ing  at  266°  F."  The  celebrated  chemist  of  the  English  War 
Department,  F.  A.  Abel,  who  has  made  the  most  extended  re 
searcher*  upon  gnn  cotton  on  record,  asserts  in  his  paper  pub- 
li>hed  in  the  Philosophical  transactions  for  1869  (an  abstract 
of  which  appeals  in  the  Journal  of  the  Chemical  Society  of  Lon 
don  for  IM.'.I.  Volume  XXIII. ,  page  11,)  that  rows  of  detached 
masses  ot  gun  cotton,  placed  on  the  ground,  and  extended  -J-  or 
.">  feet,  have  been  exploded  with  most  destructive  results  by  firing 
a  Mnall  detonating  tube  in  contact  with  the  piece  of  compress- 
ed gun  cotton  which  formed  one  extremity  of  the  row  or  train, 
the  explosion  of  the  entire  quantity  heini:  apparently  instanta- 
neous and  equally  violent  throughout."  And  further  that  these 
and  similar  experiments  "appear  to  indicate  decisively  that  Mich 


64  SUPERIORITY    OF    MOWBRAY's    PROCESS. 

explosion  is  not  a  result  of  the  heat  developed  by  the  explosion 
of  the  detonating  materials." 

I  have  witnessed  the  manufacture  of  Nitro-Glycerm  as  prac- 
ticed by  the  defendant  Mowbray,  ;it  his  works  situated  near  the 
West  Shaft  of  the  Iloosac  Tunnel,  in  Massachusetts,  and  alter  a 
full  examination  of  the  mode  said  to  have -been  the  invention  of 
Alfred  Nobel,  and  described  in  the  before  mentioned  re-issued 
patents,  find  that  the  process  actually  in  daily  use,  at  said  Mow- 
brav's  works,  is  that  described  in  said  Mowbray 's  patent  No. 
70,499,  dated  April  7th,  1868,  which  process  is  substantially 
different  from  that  described  in  the  complainant's  re-issues  here- 
inbefore set  forth.  According  to  said  re-issues,  Nobel's  process 
consists  in  running  two  separate  streams,  the  one  of  Glycerin, 
the  other  of  mixed  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids  simultaneously 
into  a  conical  vessel  which  is  perforated  at  the  lower  portion 
thereof,  through  which  perforations  the  mixture  of  acids  and 
Glycerin  passes  into  a  vessel  placed  beneath,  containing  water. 
In  the  Mowbray  process,  a  single  line  stream  of  Glycerin  is 
allowed  to  run  into  a  previously  cooled  mixture  of  sulphuric  and 
nitric  acids,  through  and  into  which  cooled  mixture  of  acids  is  con- 
tinuously forced,  while  the  Glycerin  is  entering,  a  current  of 
atmospheric  air,  previously  artificially  dried,  compressed  and 
cooled.  The  action  of  this  current  of  air  is  an  essentially  im- 
portant and  useful  one,  both  upon  the  process  itself  and  upon 
the  resulting  product.  First,  as  to  mechanical  effects:  it 
thoroughly  incorporates  the  ingredients  ;  it  removes  in  part  the 
nitrous  luines  which  would  otherwise  be  retained  by  and  con- 
taminate the  product,  and  it  cools  the  mixture  by  absorbing  the 
heat  produced  by  the  chemical  reaction  of  the  ingredients. 
Second,  as  to  the  chemical  effects:  by  the  action  of  the  oxygen 
which  this  air  contains  it  oxidi/es  the  nitrous  acid,  which  may 
be  present  in  the  acids  or  may  be  produced  in  the  reaction,  to 
nitric  acid,  and  thus  economizes  the  materials,  increases  the 
quantity  of  the  product,  and  produces  a  chemically  pure  article, 
as  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  Nitro-Glycerii)  thus  produced 
is  perfectly  colorless,  congeals  uniformly  at  the  same  degree  of 
temperature  and  produces,  when  exploded,  no  offensive  vapors 
deleterious  to  the  health  of  the  miners  using  it.  Moreover,  ;is, 
in  my  opinion,  these  nitrous  fumes  tend  to  induce  decomposi- 
tion in  the  Nitro-Glycerin  and  thus  to  render  it  unstable,  dan- 


DIFFKKKNT    oJAI.ITY     <>F    MTK<  »-<;  LYCKK1.N  .  I'..") 


gerous,  and  liable  to  spontaneous  explosion,  as  is  demonstrated 
to  he  the  ease  in  the  analogous  substance  gun  cotton,  the  intro- 
duction, in  the  method  of  Mowbray,  of  cold,  dry,  compressed 
air  into  the  mixture,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  these  nitrous  fumes, 
must  he  regarded  as  a  substantially  new  invention. 

In  my  opinion,  the  character  of  the  Nitre-Glycerin  is  deter- 
mined by  the  strength  of  the  acids  used  in  its  preparation  ;  the 
stronger  the  acids,  the  purer  the  product  and  the  more  efficient. 
I  verily  believe  this:  first,  because  it  is  true  of  the  precisely  anal- 
ogous compound  gun  cotton,  which  is  prepared  in  the  same  way  ; 
Hadow  having  proved,  as  stated  in  his  paper  published  in  the 
Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Chemical  Society  of  London  in  1854, 
Volume  VII.,  page  201,  that  at  least  three  products  are  obtained 
by  acting  upon  cotton  by  a  mixture  ot  sulphuric  and  nitric  acids, 
the  most  explosive  being  always  -produced  by  the  strongest 
acids  ;  and  2nd,  because  of  similar  differences  observed  in  Nitro- 
Glvr.erin  made  by  different  experimenters,  and  believed  by 
them  to  be  due  to  like  differences  in  composition  ;  Railton  ob- 
tained by  analysis,  as  stated  in  his  paper  in  the  Quarterly  .Jour- 
nal of  the  Chemical  Society  of  London  for  1854,  Volume  VII., 
page  222,  the  composition  now  universally  adopted  as  that  of 
Tri-Nitro-Glycerin.  De  Vrij  believes  the  product  he  obtained, 
Journal  de  Pharmacie,  series  III.,  Volume  XXVIII.,  page  38, 
1855,  to  be  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin,  andLiecke  in  Dingler's  Polytech- 
nisches  Journal,  Volume  CLXXIX.,  page  157,  1866,  gives  meth- 
ods by  which  Mono-Nitro-Glycerin,  Di-Nitro-Glycerin  and  Tri- 
Nitro-Glycerin  may  be  produced,  the  essential  difference  in 
these  methods  being  only  the  strength  of  the  acids  employed. 
Gladstone's  Report  of  the  British  Association  for  1856,  page  52 
(Notice^  and  Abstracts),  has  shown  that  different  samples  of 
Nitro-Glycerin  differed  in  properties  according  to  the  amount 
of  water  contained  in  the  Glycerin  ;  this  water,  by  diluting  the 
acids,  making  them  weaker.  Moreover  the  physiological  prop- 
erties of  Xitro-Glycerin  have  been  found  by  different  experi- 
ments to  differ  widely.  Sobrero,  its  discoverer,  says  a  very 
small  quantity  taken  upon  the  tongue  produces  a  severe  head- 
ache for  several  hours,  whence  he  concludes  that  it  is  poisonous. 
De  Vrij  in  1851,  says  that  it  is  not  poisonous,  and  in  1855  that 
it  produces  headache,  though  ten  drops  caused  no  symptoms  of 
poisoning  in  a  rabbit.  Dr.  Herring,  in  1849,  reported  in  the 
American  Journal  of  Science  and  Arts,  series  II.,  Volume  VIII., 


66  POISONOUS    PROPERTIES. 

page  257,  observed  the  violent  headache  produced  by  i  of  a 
grain  of  Mtro-Glycerin  or  Glonoin,  as  he  proposed  to  call  it, 
and  killed  a  cat  with  three  drops.  Field,  in  1858,  Pharmaceu- 
tical Journal,  Volume  XVII.,  page  544,  confirmed  these  results ; 
but  Harley  and  Fuller,  reported  in  the  same  place,  were  unable 
to  obtain  them  by  using  other  specimens  of  Nitro-Glycerin, 
though  they  largely  increased  the  dose.  Field  consequently 
says,  place  given,  page  627,  "I  am  daily  more  convinced  of  two 
important  facts  connected  with  it,  viz. :  the  great  variation  in 
the  strength  of  different  specimens,  and  the  very  marked 
difference  in  the  "  susceptibility  to  its  influence."  In  further 
support  of  the  opinion  that  several  allied  but  distinct  Nitro-Gly- 
cerins  have  been  made,  the  wide  difference  in  density  and  in 
congealing  point  may  also  be  mentioned. 

In  my  opinion  the  best  effect  cannot  be  obtained  with  com- 
mercial acids,  owing  to  their  insufficient  strength.  T  have  wit- 
nessed at  the  defendant  Mowbray's  works,  at  the  West  shaft  of 
the  Hoosac  Tuimel,  the  preparation  of  the  acids  used  for  making 
the  Nitro-Glycerin,  commercial  acids  being  found  deficient  in 
strength,  and  in  my  opinion  it  is  to  the  use  of  these  stronger 
acids,  combined  with  the  method  described  in  defendant's  patent, 
as  above  mentioned,  that  the  stability,  efficiency,  and,  above 
all,  the  freedom  from  noxious  gases  and  vapors  of  the  products 
of  combustion  of  defendant's  Mtro-Glycerin  is  due,  when  con- 
trasted with  that  made  by  complainant,  which  I  have  been  in- 
formed and  verily  believe  is  made  with  acids  of  commercial 
strength,  and  produces,  when  exploded  in  a  mine,  gases  and 
vapors  highly  deleterious  to  health. 

I  have  further  examined  the  patent  No.  93,113,  dated  July 
27th,  1869,  granted  to  Mowbray,  for  exploding  Nitro-Giycerin, 
and  have  experimented  with  the  same,  the  explosions  hereinbe- 
fore enumerated  having  been  effected  by  the  method  therein 
described.  And  this  deponent  finds  that  by  said  Mowbray's 
process  of  exploding  Nitro-Glycerin,  as  claimed  in  his  patent, 
confinement,  restraint,  or  pressure  is  wholly  unnecessary. 

In  my  opinion  the  same  is  true  in  exploding  Nitro-Glycerin 
on  a  large  scale,  as  I  have  been  informed,  and  verily  believe 
that  upwards  of  one  thousand  explosions  of  Nitro-Glycerin  are 
made  weekly  in  the  Hoosac  Tunnel  by  the  mode  so  described 
in  said  patent. 

I  believe,  moreover,  that  the  method  claimed  by  Mowbray,  in 


I 


67 

said  patent,  differs  materially  from  any  of  the  various  modes  of 
exploding  Nitre-Glycerin  described  in  the  before-mentioned  re- 
issues granted  to  the  assignees  of  A.  Nobel,  since  these  various 
methods  specifically  require  the  Nitro-Glycerin  to  be  under  con- 
finement, or  subjected  to  heat  or  pressure  when  confined,  in 
order  to  explode  it;  while  Mowbray  claims  exposing  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin  to  the  concussion,  agitation,  or  percussion  of  a  heavy 
charge,  not  le»  than  ten  or  twelve  grains  of  pure  fulminate  of 
mercury,  which  fulminate  is  fired  by  passing  the  electric  spark 
through  a  priming  composition." 

June  8,  1870.  GEORGE  F.  BARKER. 

Evidence  of  S.  W.  Johnson,  Professor  of  Analytical  and  Ag- 
ricultural Chemistry  in  Yale  College. 

"I  have  read  the  foregoing  affidavit  of  Professor  Geo.  F. 
Barker  ;  I  witnessed  the  experiments  therein  described,  and  con- 
cur in  the  statement  contained  in  said  affidavit." 

June  8,  1870.  SAMUEL  W.  JOHNSON. 

Evidence  of  George  M.  Mowbray,  Operative  Chemist. 

"About  October,  1867,  I  concluded  an  agreement  with  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  to  erect  Nitro-Glycerin  works 
near  the  West  Shaft  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel ;  these  erected,  I 
commenced  manufacturing  Nitro-Glycerin  about  the  26th  day  of 
December,  1867,  and  with  but  few  intermissions  have  continued 
to  manufacture  it  for  blasting  purposes  for  the  tunnel  work  ever 
since.  About  June  13,  1868,  I  had  a  long  interview  with  Mr. 
Taliaferro  P.  Shaffner,  the  complainant  in  this  suit,  when  the 
said  Shaffner  proposed  to  me  a  consolidation  of  interests,  and 
told  me,  if  I  would  influence  J.  H.  King  and  Henry  Hinckley 
to  advance  the  sum  of  seventy -five  thousand  dollars,  that  Robert 
Ren i iic  of  the  Lodi  Chemical  Works,  of  Lodi,  New  Jersey, 
would  credit  him  with  acids  to  manufacture  Nitro-Glycerin,  to 
the  amount  of  eighty-five  thousand  dollars,  and  he  would  then 
purchase  land  about  twenty  miles  up  the  Hudson  river,  and 
manufacture  Nitro-Glycerin.  The  proposal  I  forwarded  to  J. 
H .  King  and  Henry  Hinckley,  who  deemed  the  same  too  chime- 
rical to  enter  upon,  more  especially  since  said  Shaffner  informed 
me  that  one-fifth  of  the  consolidated  association  would  have  to 


68  MOWBKAY'S  AFFIDAVIT. 

be  paid  to  one  Frederick  Smith,  one-fifth  to  said  Robert  Rennie, 
and  one-fifth  to  said  Shaffner,  on  behalf  of  said  U.  S.  Blasting  Oil 
Company's  engagements,  said  Company  being  deeply  indebted  to 
the  Lodi  Chemical  Works,  according  to  the  assertion  of  Joseph 
Butterworth,  the  superintendent  at  Lodi.  Mr.  Shaffner  further 
informed  me  that  the  United  States  Blasting  Oil  Company  had 
transferred  and  assigned  all  the  patent  rights  conferred  by  the 
Nobel  patents  to  him,  and  he  intended  to  obtain  a  re-issne  of 
the  said  patents,  and  with  the  individual  patents  obtained  by 
him,  and  the  patent  that  had  been  granted  to  me  in  April,  1868, 
a  Company  could  be  formed  that  would  control  the  supply  of 
Nitro-Glycerin  throughout  the  United  States.  I  soon  after  con- 
sulted with  J.  H.  King  and  Henry  Hinckley,  both  capitalists, 
with  means,  as  to  the  proposals  of  Tal.*P.  Shaffner,  and  the  con- 
clusion that  we  arrived  at,  was,  that,  as  all  the  cash  capital,  and 
the  only  practicable  method  of  manufacturing  a  safe,  stable  and 
pure  Nitro-Glycerm,  was  already  secured  by  patent  to  me,  to 
place  seventy -five  thousand  dollars  at  the  disposal  of  the  parties 
named  by  Mr.  Shaffner  would  not  be  a  sensible  or  prudent  course, 
in  view  of  the  condition  to  which  the  management  of  the  said 
Shaffner  had  reduced  the  United  States  Blasting  Oil  Company's 
affairs  financially,  and  the  failure  to  supply  the  demand  for 
Nitro-Glycerin,  although  the  United  States  Blasting  Oil  Com- 
pany had  no  competitor  in  New  York  ;  so  I  informed  said  Shaff- 
ner that  said  Hinckley  and  King  would  not  advance  the  money, 
to  wit :  seventy-five  thousand  dollars,  under  such  arrangements, 
and  the  proposition  fell  through.  And  I  would  further  state, 
that  at  each  of  the  various  interviews  —  one  of  them  prolonged 
for  four  hours  without  interruption  —  the  said  Tal.  P.  Shaffner 
fully  admitted  to  me  that  any  one  could  or  might  make  Nitro- 
Glycerin,  either  by  the  method  described  by  Sobrero,  the  inven- 
tor, in  1846,  or  by  my  patent,  granted  in  1868,  April  Tth, 
without  in  any  way  infringing  on  the  patents  issued  to  A.  Xobel, 
and  assigned  to  said  Shaffner,  as  President  of  the  United  States 
Blasting  Oil  Company.  And  further,  on  the  8th  December, 
1869,  I  was  at  Oil  City,  at  the  request  of  the  Lake  Shore  Nitro- 
Glycerin  Works,  and  assisted  in  the  explosion  of  one  blast  in 
three  drill  holes  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  using  a  frictional  electric 
machine,  insulated  wires,  the  priming  fuse  and  fulminating 
charge,  as  described  in  Letters  Patent,  granted  to  me,  July 


ICOWBRAY'S    AFFIDAVIT  —  r<> .\TIMKD.  69 

i>7t!i,  1S«'.'.»,  and  being  No.  I'M,!  1:5,  and  entitled  "An  Improved 
Method  of  Exploding  Nitre-Glycerin.*5  I  am  well  informed  of 
tlie  four  re-issm?d  patents,  Nos.  3,377,  3,:i78,  3,379  and  3,380, 
and  the  methods  therein  described  differ  very  materially  from 
the  method  that  was  practised  on  the  8th  December,  1869,  at 
the  Oil  City  Tunnel,  by  me,  and  particularly  in  this  very  mate- 
rial respect;  whereas,  by  the  method  practiced  at  the  Tunnel, 
an  operator  can  blast  simultaneously  at  will  one  hundred  drill 
holes;  by  the  methods  described  in  the  re-issues  above  mentioned, 
it  is  absolutely  impossible  to  explode1  two  drill  holes  sinmltane- 
ou>ly.  And  this  difference  between  the  simultaneous  blasting 
of  a  number  of  holes  and  firing  the  same  number  of  holes  one 
after  the  other  lias  been  found  in  actual  results  to  effect  an 
economy  of  thirty  per  cent,  in  the  cost  of  blasting  out  rock  in 
the  Hoosac  Tunnel.  In  a  book  (Exhibit  B),  entitled  k'  Liebig 
and  Kopp's  annual  report  of  Chemistry  for  1847  and  1S4S", 
pages  37fi  and  377,  volume  2,  published  in  London  in  1850, 
there. is  a  notice  of  the  comparative  power  of  nitre-cotton  and 
gunpowder,  and  reference  is  there  made  to  the  nitre-compounds, 
made  from  dextrin,  glycerin  and  sugar,  as  being  "similarly  ex- 
plosive preparations,"  to  gun-cotton  and  nitro-mannite,  which 
latter  is  described  as  a  cheap  substitute  for  fulminating  mercury 
in  the  manufacture  of  percussion  caps,  and  certain  comparative 
experiments  with  the  tormer  (gun-cotton),  as  to  the  relative  value 
of  the  same,  compared  with  gunpowder,  are  mentioned  as  hav- 
ing been  made  by  the  celebrated  powder  manufacturers,  "  Messrs. 
Hall  &  Son,  of  Dartford,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  England." 
After  such  publication,  the  claim  made  by  the  said  Nobel,  or 
his  assignees,  in  the  re-issues  before-mentioned,  that  Nobel  dis- 
covered that  Nitro-Glycerin  could  be  exploded  under  confine- 
ment is  invalid,  for  the  fact  that  Nitro-Glycerin  had  been  de- 
scribed a>  a  >imilarly  explosive  preparation  to  nitro-mannite  and 
nitro-cotton,  or  gun-cotton,  by  it  sdiscoverer,  Sobrero,  necessarily 
involved,  and  indeed  published  the  circumstance  of  its  only  be- 
ing necessary  to  subject  it  to  the  like  conditions  of  other  explo- 
ro  effect  its  explosion.  I  further  state  that  in  four  affidavits 
filed  in  this  Court,  on  the  25th  of  February,  by  Taliaferro  P. 
Shaffner,  and  T.  P.  Shatther  and  E.  A.  L.  Roberts,  jointly,  and 
E.  A.  L.  Roberts  singly,  and  W.  M.  Shaffner,  these  parties  have 
sworn  that  the  mode  of  exploding  at  the  Oil  City  Tunnel, 


70  AFFIDAVITS    OF    MAOKEY   AND    LYNCH. 

December  8th,  1869,  was  identical  and  precisely  similar  to  the 
mode  described  in  a  patent  granted  to  said  T.  P.  Shaffner, 
December  18th,  1868,  and  re-issued  April  13th,  1869,  No. 
3,375,  whilst  the  very  same  parties  describing  the  same  blasting 
at  said  Oil  City  Tunnel,  at  the  same  time,  in  the  same  words, 
and  almost  word  for  word  throughout,  as  positively  have  sworn 
that  it  was  identical,  precisely  similar  to  the  mode  of  blasting 
described  in  the  re-issues  Nos.  3,377,  3,378,  3,379  and  3,380. 
Neither  of  these  parties  were  at  any  time  on  the  ground  during 
the  operations  therein  and  thereat  (to  wit,  Oil  City  Tunnel)  per- 
formed, except  W.  M.  Shaffher,  who  was  at  no  time  within 
twenty  feet  of  the  parties  operating,  and  who  has  erroneously 
stated  that  water  was  poured  on  to  the  Nitro-Glycerin  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hole,  which  to  my  certain  knowledge  was  not 
done.  And  I  ask  the  attention  of  this  Court,  to  the  affidavits 
filed  in  this  cause  for  the  plaintiff,  and  also  in  a  cause  of  Talia- 
ferro  P.  Shaffner  against  the  same  defendants,  filed  February 
25th,  1870,  as  completely  disproving  each  other. 

February  26,  1870.  GEO.  M.  MOWBRAY. 

Evidence  of  Phillip  Mackey  and  Timothy  Lynch,  foremen  of 
miners  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel. 

"We  were  employed  during  the  month  of  September,  1868, 
at  the  West  Shaft  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  at  the  time  when 
Colonel  Shaffner,  the  complainant,  was  making  experiments 
with  ISfitro-Glycerin  in  the  said  tunnel,  and  assisted  him  by 
drilling  holes  in  the  rock  to  receive  the  cartridges  containing 
Nitro-Glycerin,  and  tamping  said  holes.  After  the  explosion  of 
the  said  Nitro-Glycerin,  we  witnessed  its  effects  on  the  miners. 
These  effects  were  usually  to  produce  a  dryness  about  the  throat, 
and  feeling  of  thirst,  which  led  the  miners  to  take  a  drink  of 
water ;  immediately  thereafter  the  miners  would  vomit,  and  such 
vomiting  would  be  followed  by  severe  headache,  rendering  it 
necessary  for  the  miner  so  affected  to  be  removed  to  the  air,  and 
out  of  the  tunnel,  and  the  effects  of  such  headache  would  last 
for  from  twelve  to  eighteen  hours ;  in  fact,  the  vapors  caused 
by  the  Nitro-Glycerin  exploded  by  said  Shaffner  were  of  such 
a  noxious  character  as  to  disable  the  miners  generally  from  con- 
tinuing their  work. 

"During  the  past  three  years  we  have  often  examined 


AFFIDAVIT    <>F    VAN  VEL8OB.  71 

Glycerin  manufactured  by  G.  M.  Mowbray,  and  been  regularly 
employed  as  foremen  of  the  miners  who  drilled  the  holes  for 
receiving  the  cartridges  of  Nitro-Glycerin  exploded  by  said 
Mowbray  and  by  his  assistants,  and  we  declare  that  Mowbray's 
Nitro-Glycerin  differs  greatly  in  appearance  from  that  used  by 
said  Shaftner ;  that  Mowbray's  Nitro-Glycerin  is  colorless  almost 
as  water,  whereas  Shaffner's  was  orange-colored;  that  the  ex- 
plosive effects  of  said  Mowbray's  Xitro-Glycerin  were  much 
greater,  so  far  as  we  could  observe,  and  that  particularly  we 
have  noticed  the  miners  do  not  suffer  from  any  noxious  vapors 
after  the  firing  of  blasts  of  said  Mowbray's  Nitro-Glycerin,  and 
that  during  the  three  years  the  Nitro-Glycerin  made  by  Mow- 
bray has  been  used  in  said  Tunnel,  there  lias  not  been  a  single 
case  where  a  miner  has  been  compelled  to  leave  his  work  by 
reason  of  the  gases  given  off  by  the  explosion  of  Mowbray's 
Nitro-Glycerin.  And  we  consider  that  the  Nitro-Glycerin  made 
by  said  Mowbray,  and  used  in  the  Tunnel;  very  much  safer  to 
handle,  and  does  not  give  off  noxious  gases  as  compared  with 
the  Nitro-Glycerin  made  by  the  United  States  Blasting  Oil  Com- 
pany of  New  York,  and  used  by  said  Shafhier  in  the  Hoosac 
Tunnel.  And  we  verily  believe  that  if  said  Nitro-Glycerin  were 
attempted  to  be  used  in  the  Tunnel,  now  that  so  general  a  use 
is  made  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  it  would  compel  the  miners  to  leave 
their  work  and  seriously  retard  the  progress  of  the  work  by 
reason  thereof,  for  those  who  could  endure  it  for  a  time  would 
have  to  carry  out  those  who  are  unable  to  move  after  inhaling 
the  gases  of  the  Shafhier  Nitro-Glycerin,  and  thus  lose  time 
which  would  otherwise  be  employed  in  doing  work. 

"  We  consider  it  utterly  useless  to  confine  the  Nitro-Glycerin 
when  fired  by  Mowbray's  system." 

PHILIP  MACKEY, 

Feb.  16,  1870.  TIMOTHY  LYNCH. 

Evidence  of  John  Van  Velsor,  Superintendent  of  Mowbray's 
Nitro-Glycerin  works  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel : 

u  In  October,  1868, 1  was  employed  to  fit  up  a  Nitro-Glycerin 
factory  at  Fairport,  Ohio,  and  instruct  the  hands  in  the  process 
of  manufacturing  under  Mowbray's  patent  of  April  7th,  1868.  I 
endorse  the  evidence  of  Messrs.  Mackey  and  Lynch,  as  to  the 
difference  in  appearance  and  smell  between  Mowbray's  Nitro- 


72  AFFIDAVITS    OF    HATFIELD    AND    LOBB. 

Glycerin  and  that  manufactured  under  Nobel's  patent  by  the 
United  States  Nitro-Glycerin  Company. 

"  I  have  made  under  Mowbray's  patent  upwards  of  twenty 
thousand  pounds  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  a  great  portion  of  which 
has  been  exploded  in  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  by  a  method  patented 
by  Mr.  Mowbray,  dated  July  27th,  1869,  No.  93,113.  I  have 
exploded  on  numerous  occasions  the  Nitro-Glycerin  made  at 
said  Mowbray's  factory,  without  subjecting  the  same  to  confine- 
ment, by  firing  a  charge  of  fulminating  mercury,  say  ton  or 
twelve  grains,  contained  in  a  wooden  or  copper  cap,  by  means 
of  the  electric  spark.  I  have  witnessed  the  use  of  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin at  the  West  Shaft  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  both  in  the  bench 
work  and  in  the  heading,  where  the  blasters  left  the  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin in  the  drill-holes  entirely  un confined,  such  being  the  gen- 
eral practice  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  so  that  in  case  of  the  wires 
not  conducting  the  electricity,  or  in  case  of  the  priming  being 
defective  and  not  firing  the  fulminating  charge,  the  exploder 
might  be  removed  from  the  Nitro-Glycerin  without  danger  to 
the  operator.  During  the  eighteen  months  I  have  been  in 
the  employ  of  Mr.  Mowbray,  manufacturing  Nitro-Glycerin,  he 
has  only  made  Nitro-Glycerin  by  his  patented  method,  and  by 
none  other. 

February  18,  1870.  JOHN  VAN  YELSOK. 

Evidence  of  A.  D.  Hatfield. 

"  I  have  been  employed  in  blasting  in  the  railroad  tunnel  at 
Oil  City,  using  Nitro-Glycerin  furnished  by  the  Lake  Shore 
Nitro-Glycerin  Company,  manufactured  under  Mowbray's  pa- 
tent. In  firing  and  exploding  the  Nitro-Glycerin  I  have  acted 
under  a  license  from  George  M.  Mowbray,  said  Nitro-Glycerin 
having  been  exploded  without  being  confined." 

February  19,  1870.  A.  D.  HATFIELD. 

Evidence  of  Charles  Lobb,  Railroad  Contractor. 

"I  have  been  engaged  in  tunelling  through  the  hill  at  Oil 
City,  Pa.,  for  the  Jamestown  and  Franklin  Railroad,  and  have 
used  for  that  purpose  Nitro-Glycerin  manufactured  by  the  Lake 
Shore  Nitro-Glycerin  Company,  under  Mowbray's  patent  of 
April  7,  1868.  I  have  tried  to  purchase  Nitro-Glycerin  from 


73 

Tal.  P.  Shaffner,  President  of  the  United  States  Blasting  Oil 
Company,  and  have  been  unable  to  procure  the  same.  Said 
Shattner  referred  me  to  E.  A.  L.  Roberts  for  the  purchase  of 
Nitro-Qlyeerin,  and  <>n  application  to  said  Roberts  was  unable 
to  obtain  any. 

February  10,  1870.  CHARLKS  LOBB. 

Evidence  <>t    I  >avid  ( 'rossley. 

"  1  have  been  engaged  in  operating  oil  wells  in  Pennsylvania, 
for  ten  years.  On  December  6,  1860,  1  obtained  a  torpedo 
containing  six  pounds  of  Nitro-Glycerin  from  the  agent  of  Rob- 
ert's Torpedo  Company,  which  he  said  was  from  New  York, 
and  of  the  best  quality.  I  had  it  put  into  an  oil  well  where  it 
was  exploded  by  said  agent. 

"The  explosion  of  said  torpedo,  in  said  well,  had  the  effect  of 
reducing  the  production  of  oil  in  said  well  from  two  barrels  of 
oil  to  one  and  a  half  barrels  of  oil  in  a  day  of  twenty  four  hours. 

"  On  the  sixteenth  day  of  December,  1860,  I  put  in  another 
torpedo  in  the  same  well,  which  I  obtained  from  the  same  agent 
of  the  same  company.  It  contained  the  same  quantity  of  Nitro- 
Glycerin,  which  was  represented  to  me  to  be  the  same  as  before- 
mentioned.  This  torpedo  was  exploded  by  the  agent  in  said 
well  on  the  day  last  mentioned.  Before  the  explosion  of  the 
torpedo  in  said  well,  it  produced  one  and  a  half  barrels  of  oil  in 
a  day  of  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  explosion  of  said  torpedo 
caused  no  difference  in  the  production  of  oil  from  the  same  well. 
About  the  rirst  day  of  October,  1868,  I  employed  G.  M.  Mow- 
bray  to  explode  a  Nitro-Glycerin  torpedo  in  another  well  of 
mine.  He  exploded  said  torpedo  in  said  well  in  my  presence.  He 
u.-e«l  in  the  torpedo  six  and  a  quarter  pounds  of  Nitro-Glycerin. 
The  effect  «>f  the  explosion  was  to  increase  the  production  of 
>aid  well  from  five  barrels  to  one  hundred  barrels  in  a  day  of 
twenty -four  hours.  After  this,  Mr.  Mowbray  put  in  and  ex- 
ploded other  Xitro-Glycerin  torpedos  in  wells  for  me,  and  always 
with  the  effect  of  increasing  their  production. 

"  Judging  from  my  knowledge  as  an  expert  in  operating  oil 
wells  and  the  explosion  of  torpedos  of  all  the  various  kinds 
tin  rein,  I  consider  that  G.  M.  Mowbray's  Nitro-Glycerm  is  far 
more  effective  than  that  of  any  other  party",  or  that  his  method 
of  exploding  is  more  effective." 

February  19,  1870.  DAVID  CROSSLEY. 


74:  AFFIDAVITS    OF    JESSE    SMITH    AND    GEORGE    WEST. 

Evidence  of  Jesse  Smith,  Oil  Well  Operator. 

"  In  November  1869,  I  had  a  torpedo  from  the  Roberts  Tor- 
pedo Company  exploded  in  my  well  in  Crawford  Co.,  Pa.,  by 
their  agent.  The  explosion  was  an  utter  failure,  one-half  the 
contents  of  the  torpedo  still  remaining  in  it;  this  the  agent  said 
was  Nitro-Glycerin." 

February  19,  18TO.  JESSE  SMITH. 

Evidence  of  George  West. 

"I  am  employed  in  exploding  the  Nitro-Glycerin  in  the  holes 
drilled  by  the  miners  in  the  Oil  Creek  Tunnel,  Pa.  I  used 
Nitro- Glycerin  from  the  Lake  Shore  Nitro-Glycerin  Works, 
which  is  very  different  to  that  of  the  United  States  Blasting 
Oil  Company,  of  New  York,  and  requires  a  different  mode  of 
explosion.  I  do  not  use  any  of  the  methods  described  in  Nobel's 
patent  of  October  24,  and  re-issued  April  13,  1869,  for  explod- 
ing, for  the  methods  therein  described  would  only  explode  it,  if 
at  all,  which  I  doubt,  by  hazard,  and  not  with  certainty,  owing 
to  the  peculiar  properties  of  the  Lake  Shore  Nitro-Glycerin  as* 
compared  with  what  I  have  seen  and  used  as  the  Shaliher,  or 
Nobel's  Nitro-Glycerin.  I  endorse  all  the  previous  evidence  as 
to  the  difference  between  the  Nobel  or  Shaffner  Nitro-Glycerin, 
and  that  made  under  Mowbray's  patent.  The  method  I  have 
used  to  explode  this  Nitro-Glycerin,  at  the  Oil  City  Tunnel,  con- 
sists in  what  is  known  as  the  Austrian  battery  and  electric  fuse 
and  fulminating  shell;  that  is,  an  electric  machine,  wlio.se  excit- 
ing plate  is  made  of  ebonite  or  hard  rubber,  with  insulated  and 
conducting  wire  terminals,  which  are  from  ^  to  ^2  of  an  inch 
apart,  and  between  those  terminal  points  a  priming  composition 
is  ^nserted,  through  which  the  electric  spark  being  passed,  such 
priming  ignites,  giving  a  flame  (insufficient  to  explode  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin,  but)  sufficient  to  inflame  a  fulminating  compound,  of 
which  there  is  a  heavy  charge,  and  this  fulminating  compound 
being  exploded  by  the  priming  composition,  explodes  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin.  I  have  never  used  the  method  of  exploding  with 
gunpowder  as  described  in  the  Nobel  patent,  No.  50,617,  in  the 
tunnel  aforesaid,  nor  elsewhere,  but  I  have  witnessed  attempts 
to  explode  the  Nitro-Glycerin  used  under  Mowbray's  Patent  by 
means  of  fuse  and  •  gunpowder,  as  described  by  Nobel,  where 
that  method  failed." 

February  19,  1870.  GEORGE  WEST. 


Sinking  the  Central  Shaft. 


AFFIDAVIT    OF     H.    .Il'Lirg    SMITH.  75 

Evidence  of  H.  Julius  Smith. 

"  I  am  engaged  in  the  business  of  manufacturing  electric  fuses 
and  introducing  explosive  compounds  to  contractors,  miners  and 
torpedo  men.  I  have  carefully  examined  the  patents  in  question 
re-issued  to  Tal.  P.  Slraftner,  and,  I  mid,  by  the  modes  therein 
described,  it  is  impossible  to  lire  with  certainty,  and  simultane- 
011  >ly,  more  than  two  mines  charged  with  Nitro-Glyceriii  by  any 
of  the  methods  described  in  said  four  re-issued  patents;  and  to 
effect  any  explosion  of  Nitro-Glycerin  by  any  of  the  methods 
therein  described,  and  materials  delivered  to  the  public  by  the 
assignees  of  the  inventor  Nobel,  it  is  absolutely  essential  that 
the  Nitro-Glycerin  should  be  confined  as  described  in  the  re- 
i-Mit's  in  question.  I  have  also  carefully  examined  the  patent 
issued  to  George  M.  Mowbray,  dated  July  27th,  1869,  and  find 
that  the  process  therein  described  of  exploding  Nitro-Glycerin, 
does  away  with  the  necessity  for  confining  Nitro-Glycerin  in  or- 
der to  explode  it.  I  endorse  previous  evidence  from  my  own 
experience  in  regard  to  exploding  Nitro-Glycerin  when  uncon- 
fined  under  Mowbray's  system..  I  have  also  manufactured  and 
delivered  upward  of  twenty  thousand  fuses  to  the  contractors  of 
the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  capable  of  exploding  Nitro-Glycerin  when 
unconiiiied,  at  said  Hoosac  Tunnel.  I  have  been  present  when 
the  modes  described  in  the  re-issues  of  the  Nobel  patent  have 
been  carefully  practised,  and  entirely  failed  to  tire  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin, and  in  one  instance  immediately  after  the  failure  of  the 
Nobel  system,  I  inserted  a  fuse  of  the  exact  description,  and 
with  the  electric  appliances  as  described  in  Geo.  M.  Mowbray's 
patent,  No.  93,113,  dated  July  27th,  1869,  and  the  result  was  a 
successful  explosion.  The  modes  described  in  the  Nobel  re- 
issues, Nos.  3,377,  3,378,  3,379  and  3,380,  have  been  abandoned 
by  all  parties  witli  whom  I  am  acquainted,  who  have  important 
works  to  carry  through,  requiring  Nitro-Glycerin  to  be  exploded, 
and  particularly  by  the  said  Tal.  P.  Shaffner  himself,  as  I  have 
manufactured,  sold  and  delivered  to  said  Shaffner  and  others, 
the  apparatus  and  the  exploding  electrical  fuses  for  firing  Nitro- 
Glycerin  made  by  said  Shaffner,  and  Nitro-Glycerin  made  by 
the  Lake  Shore  Nitro-Glycerin  Company,  which  said  fuses  or 
electrical  exploders,  involve  a  principle  of  firing  Nitro-Glycerin 
of  great  practical  importance  and  very  recent  development,  viz., 
the  principle  of  concussion,  so  as  to  effect  the  explosion  of  the 


'6  .AFFIDAVITS    OF    J.    H.    KING    AND    JAMES    DICKEY. 


entire  mass  of  Nitro- Glycerin  instantaneously,  without  requir- 
ing the  explosion  to  be  transmitted  from  particle  to  particle, 
in  this  respect  differing  very  materially  from  the  methods  de- 
scribed in  the  Nobel  re-issues  above  referred  to,  which  require, 
first,  confinement,  and  then  heat  and  pressure,  to  be  developed 
in  the  presence  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin. 

February  24,  1870.  H.  JULIUS  SMITH. 

Evidence  of  James  H.  King. 

"  I  am  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Lake  Shore  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin  Works,  situated  near  Painesville,  Ohio,  i  am  personally 
acquainted  with  Taliaferro  P.  Shaffner,  and  endorse  all  the  evi- 
dence of  G.  M.  Mowbray  as  to  Shaffner's  proposal  to  consolidate 
the  Nobel  and  Mowbray  patents,  and  his  admission  that  the 
parties  he  represented  did  not  claim  the  exclusive  right  to  man- 
ufacture Nitro-Glycerin.  I  would  state  that  one  W.  B.  Rob- 
erts, of  the  firm  of  Roberts  &  Co.,  of  Titusville,  Pennsylvania, 
informed  me  that  he  is  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  United  States 
Blasting  Oil  Company,  and  that  since  the  commencement  of 
this  suit  I  have  delivered  to  Roberts  &  Co.,  at  request  of  W.  B. 
Roberts,  twelve  hundred  pounds,  or  thereabouts,  of  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin  manufactured  by  the  company  of  which  I  am  a  member. 

"I  manufacture  (as  a  party  interested  in  the  Lake  Shore 
Nitro -Glycerin  Works  of  Painesville)  under  a  license  from 
George  M.  Mowbray,  under  a  patent  to  said  Mowbray,  bearing 
date  April  7th,  1868." 

February  25,  1870.  J.  H.  KING. 

Evidence  of  James  Dickey. 

"  I  am  acquainted  with  KobePs  system  of  blasting.  I  assisted 
in  making  ten  explosions  in  Oil  City  Tunnel,  for  Charles  Lobb, 
the  contractor.  We  did  not  use  any  of  the  methods  of  explod- 
ing specified  in  Nobel's  or  Shafiher's  patents.  We  used  the  im- 
proved electrical  machine  of  H.  Julius  Smith,  patented  August 
10,  1869,  and  used  the  method  of  firing  and  fuse  described  in 
G.  M.  Mowbray's  patent  of  July  27,  1869,  and  which  several 
methods  are  entirely  different  from  those  mentioned  in  the  sev- 
eral patents  claimed  by  complainant  in  this  case.  I  used  in  the 
blasts  made  by  me,  the  Nitro-Glycerin  manufactured  by  the 
Lake  Shore  Nitro-Glycerin  Company,  under  Geo.  M.  Mowbray's 


AFFIDAVITS    OF    W.    S.     HOLBROOK    AND    HENRY    H.    PRATT.        77 

patent,  No.  7^,499,  dated  April  7,  1868.     I  endorse  the  state-  » 
ments  of  the  miners  Mackey  and  Lynch  as  to  the  noxious  effects 
and   danger   arising  from  the  use  of  Shaffners  Nitre-Glycerin, 
and  the  freedom  from  the  same  in  that  manufactured  by   Mow- 
bray's  system." 

February  i>.\  1S7<).  JAMES  DICKEY. 

Evidence  of  W.  S.  Hoi  brook. 

"  I  was  engaged  along  with  James  Dickey  to  perform  some 
blasting  in  Oil  Creek  Tunnel.  I  endorse  his  statement  as  to  the 
kind  of  Nitro-Glycerin  and  the  method  of  exploding  used  in 
said  tunnel,  and  further  state  that  we  never  used  any  other  pro- 
cess or  material." 

February  25,  1870.  W.  S.  HOLBROOK. 

Evidence  of  Henry  H.  Pratt. 

"  I  was  foreman  at  the  West  Shaft  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  up 
to  October  15,  1869.  In  December,  1869,  I  went  to  Oil  City, 
Pa.,  to  show  Charles  Lobb,  the  contractor  for  the  Jamestown 
and  Franklin  Railroad,  how  to  use  Nitro-Glycerin  for  blasting 
rock.  The  weather  being  very  cold,  warm  water  was  first 
poured  into  the  holes  to  prevent  the  frozen  sides  of  the  drilled 
hole  chilling  the  Nitro-Glycerin.  A  charge  of  Nitro-Glycerin 
was  then  poured  through  the  water,  and  a  small  cartridge  of  tin 
being  introduced,  the  charge  was  tired  by  means  of  a  frictional 
electric  machine,  connected  with  a  priming  fuse  and  a  charge  of 
fulminating  mercury,  being  the  mode  set  forth  and  shewn  in  the 
Letters  Patent,  granted  to  George  M.  Mowbray,  No.  93,113, 
and  dated  July  27th,  1869.  I  am  familiar  with  the  re-issued  pa- 
tent in  question,  and  the  mode  by  which  I  exploded  said  Nitro- 
Glycerin  in  said  tunnel,  as  above  described,  is  very  different 
from  the  mode  described  in  the  patents  re-issued  to  said  U.  S. 
Blasting  Oil  Company  ;  it  would  have  been  utterly  impossible 
to  have  tired  the  said  three  holes  in  said  tunnel  by  the  mode 
stated  in  the  above  referred  to  re-issues  at  one  and  the  same  mo- 
ment, as  was  done  by  me.  I  find  on  examination,  that  in  all  the 
patents  granted  to  Taliaferro  P.  Shaffner,  Nos.  51,671,  51,674, 
dated  December  19th,  1865,  the  mode  of  firing  a  consecutive 
series  of  fuses  is  condemned  by  said  Shaffner,  and  in  patent  No. 
51,674,  that  the  specification  accompanying  said  Letters  Patent 


78  AFFIDAVIT    OF    OTTO    BURSTEN BINDER. 

contains  the  following  words :  "  Figures  6  and  7  represent  the 
heretofore  known  mode  of  exploding  two  or  more  charges  by 
the  same  electric  current,  and  the  former  is  shewn  as  applied  to 
a  consecutive  series  of  blasts  in  line,  and  the  latter  to  the  head- 
ing of  a  tunnel,1'  such  mode  being  identically  and  exactly  what 
I  practised  at  the  Oil  City  tunnel,  and  none  other.  I  confirm 
all  the  previous  evidence  as  to  the  feasibility  of  exploding  pure 
Nitro-Glycerin  when  unconfined,  and  also  as  to  the  good  quali- 
ties of  the  Mowbray  Nitro-Glycerin  when  compared  with  that 
made  under  the  Nobel  re-issues." 

February  26,  1870.  II.  H    PRATT. 

Evidence  of  Otto  Burstenbinder,  of  New  York. 

"I  have  been  familiar  with  the  use  of  Nitro-Glycerin  since 
May,  1865,  and  introduced  that  article  from  Hamburgh,  Ger- 
many, in  July,  1865.  I  witnessed  the  application  of  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin  to  blasting  purposes  about  20  miles  from  Hamburgh, 
when  many  distinguished  citizens  were  present,  a  full  account 
of  the  results  effected  being  published  afterwards  in  the  princi- 
pal German  newspapers.  The  mode  used  to  explode  Nitro-Gly- 
cerin  on  that  occasion  was  by  fuse  and  cap,  the  Nitro-Glycerin 
being  confined,  in  one  experiment,  in  a  gas-pipe,  plugged  at 
each  end,  and  the  fuse  led  through  the  plug,  and  at  the  end  of 
the  fuse  there  was  a  percussion  cap  attached;  in  another  exper- 
iment a  wooden  plug  was  hollowed  out  conically  inside  and  the 
cone  was  filled  with  gunpowder ;  to  this  plug  a  fuse  was  attached 
and  lighted  in  the  usual  manner.  I  myself  fired  Nitro-Glycerin 
in  the  City  of  New  York,  on  or  about  the  fifteenth  day  of  July, 
A.  D.  1865 ;  this  was  the  first  time  I  used  Nitro-Glycerin  in  the 
United  States,  tor  blasting  purposes ;  the  mode  of  operation 
was  to  pour  the  Nitro-Glycerin  into  the  naked  drill  hole,  and 
lower  a  wooden  plug  charged  with  gunpowder,  on  to  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin,  poured  some  dry  sand  on  to  the  plug,  and  fire  a  fuse 
which  was  situated  on  the  plug  in  the  usual  way. 

"  I  am  quite  familiar  with  the  Nitro-Glycerin  manufactured  by 
the  United  States  Blasting  Oil  Company,  under  Nobel's  patent, 
and  that  manufactured  by  G.  M.  Mowbray  under  his  own,  and 
confirm  all  the  previous  evidence  as  to  the  superiority  of  Mow- 
bray's  Nitro-Glycerin,  in  explosive  power,  in  absence  of  color, 
absence  of  smell,  absence  of  nitrous  gases,  in  greater  safety 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS.  79 

through  the  greater  difficulty  of  exploding  it,  and  in  purity.  As 
an  expert  of  considerable  experience  in  the  use  of  Nitro-Gly- 
<vrin,  I  assert  that  it  is  entirely  unnecessary  to  confine  Nitro- 
Glycerin  in  order  to  explode  the  same,  the  explosion  being  as 
thorough,  and  its  effects  nearly  as  powerful  for  blasting  purposes, 
owing  to  the  extreme  instantaneous  conversion  into  gas  when  un- 
(•ontined,  provided  a  proper  charge  of  fulminate  be  used. 

"I  have  made  the  explosion  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  and  its  appli. 
cation  to  blasting  purposes,  my  occupation  since  1865,  and  am 
thoroughly  familiar  with  its  properties,  use,  and  the  literature 
referring  to  it,  and  I  have  never  heard  or  read  that  the  Nitro- 
Glycerin  made  by  Sobrero  was  incapable  of  being  crystallized, 
but  I  verily  believe,  and  have  always  found,  that  Nitro-Glycerin 
congeals  when  exposed  to  a  moderately  low  temperature." 

June  7,  1870.  OTTO  BURSTENBINDER. 

Parties  using  Nitro-Glycerin  are  requested  to  note,  that  on 
the  19th  of  March,  1872,  the  insolvent  U.  S.  Blasting  Oil  Com- 
pany (by  the  aid  of  funds  drawn,  under  litigation  also,  from  the 
Oil  producers  of  Pennsylvania,  by  the  notorious  torpedo' patents), 
finding  their  twenty-four  columns  of  specification  and  eight 
claims  wholly  inapplicable  to  the  mode  of  using  Nitre-Gly- 
cerin as  now  practised,  surrendered  their  re-issues,  and,  as  I  am 
of  opinion,  by  the  injudicious  oversight  of  the  Examiner,  an 
intimate;  friend  of  Mr.  Shaffner,  obtained  four  more  re-issues, 
containing  twenty  columns  of  specification  and  seventeen  claims, 
thereby,  as  eminent  counsel  advise  me,  practically  abandoning 
their  case  up  to  March  19,  1872. 

Counsel  further  advise  me,  after  full  consideration  of  these 
last  re-issues,  that  the  litigation  lias  entered  upon  a  new  phase 
and  that  the  original  patent,  the  first  re-issues,  and  the  second 
iv-i-sues,  contain  in  themselves  the  proof  of  their  utter  worth- 
lessness,  needing  no  other  evidence  to  render  them  void.  But 
a  graver  and  more  serious  charge  rests  upon  the  means  by  which 
these  anomalies  have  been  put  on  record  in  the  Patent  Office, 
which  will  be  reviewed  by  experienced  counsel,  before  a  compe- 
tent tribunal. 

For  myself,  with  resources  which  I  hope  and  intend  to  keep 
unimpaired,  to  conduct  this  business  to  its  final  issue,  with  a  pe- 
cuniary interest  I  am  bound  to  take  care  of,  besides  a  further 


80  THE    H008AO    TUNNEL. 


amused  interest,  aroused  during  the  past  four  years,  by  the  shifts 
and  pretences  of  this  impecunious  company  to  avoid  trial  of  a 
suit  instituted  by  itself,  there  will  be  a  courteous  desire  to  ac- 
commodate my  opponents  with  the  earliest  possible  verdict, 
counsel,  judges  and  jury  can  arrive  at,  consistent  with  a  com- 
plete, full  and  fair  investigation  of  plaintiffs  pretences  and 
patents. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Hoosae  Tunnel  — Drilling   by   Machine  — Blasting   with 
Powder  —  Nitro-Glycerin. 

The  Hoosac  Mountain,  whose  summit  is  2,700  feet  above  the 
sea  level,  is  composed,  according  to  the  geologist,  of  mica  slate, 
so  compressed  that  near  the  West  End  the  stratification  is  con- 
torted, upheaved,  and  intermingled  with  quartz  and  pyrites; 
consequently  the  classification  of  the  rock  as  "  mica  slate  "  con- 
veys a  very  imperfect  idea  of  its  hard  impracticable  nature  to 
the  miner.  To  any  one  who  will  be  at  the  pains  of  examining 
the  masses  lying  near  the  powder  magazine,  built  of  massive  stone, 
at  the  West  Shaft,  the  hardness  of  this  rock  is  at  once  apparent. 
Parts  of  this  mountain  have  been  found  so  hard  and  tough,  and 
so  difficult  to  drill,  that  thirty-four  drills  have  been  worn  in 
drilling  a  blast  hole  thirty-six  inches  deep.  This  was  an  excep- 
tional case,  but  similar  hard  layers  are  met  from  time  to  time. 
Had  it  not  been  for  the  Burleigh  drill  and  Nitro-Glyceriu,  the 
sturdy  indomitable  perseverance  of  Massachusetts  would  have 
been  severely  strained,  if  not  exhausted,  in  running  this  Tunnel. 

The  following  extract  from  the  Adams  Transcript,  tor  April 
11,  1872,  gives  a  summary  of  the  progress  made  during  the 
month  of  March,  and  the  lengths  remaining  to  be  opened  to 
complete  the  work: 


W&ST Shaft  S/SFi-TbGrade 


Central 

I01S  FrtfeejyTo.Grade, 


WORK    AT    THE    EAST    HEADING.  81 

H008AC    TUNNEL    PROGRESS    FOR    MARCH,     1872. 

"East  End,  120  feet ;  Central  Shaft,  eastward,  100  feet;  West 
End,  140  feet,  total,  360  feet.  Total  lengths  opened  to  April  1, 
1862:  East  End,  10,166  feet;  Central  Shaft,  east,  617  feet, 
west,  325  feet,  total,  942  feet ;  West  End,  7,494  feet.  Lengths 
remaining  to  be  opened :  between  East  End  and  Central  Shaft, 
2,054  feet  — 586  feet  less  than  half  a  mile.  Between  West  End 
and  Central  Shaft,  4,375  feet  —  855  feet  more  than  two-thirds 
of  a  mile." 

A  reference  to  the  wood  cut  opposite  page  80,  shows  the  pro- 
file of  the  mountain  and  progress  of  the  Tunnel  to  January  1, 
1872. 

The  distance  made  during  the  month  of  March,  in  the  East 
heading,  was  120  feet  of  heading,  24  feet  wide  arid  9  feet  in 
height,  exclusive  of  first  enlargement  or  roof,  and  second  en- 
largement of  root  to  full  size  or  stopeing,  which  is  usually  car- 
ried on  simultaneously  to  about  250  feet  per  month.  This  head- 
ing is  being  attacked  by  twelve  of  the  Burleigh  drilling  machines, 
mounted  on  two  carriages  manned  by  eight  miners  and  a  foreman? 
who  work  for  eight  hours,  with  brief  intermission  whilst  the 
charges  are  being  fired.  The  drills  are  impelled  by  compressed 
air,  making  300  strokes  per  minute,  and  calculated  to  strike  witli  a 
force  of  200  Ibs.  at  each  blow,  perforating  from  one  inch  to  five 
inches  per  minute,  of  a  hole  two  inches  in  diameter  when  powder 
is  used,  and  1£  inch  diameter  for  Nitro-Glycerin  blasting.  At 
the  East  heading,  partly  owing  to  the  rock  being  softer  than 
either  at  the  West  End  or  in  the  Central  Shaft,  partly  to  the 
miners  being  accustomed  to  powder,  partly  to  the  heavy  battery 
of  drills  enabling  twelve  drilling  machines  to  work  at  once,  and 
thus  make  progress  satisfactory  to  the  contractors,  who,  wisely, 
let  well  enough  alone,  the  holes  when  drilled  to  a  depth  of  from 
two  feet  six  inches  to  three  feet,  are  each  charged  with  from  one 
to  two  and  one-half  pounds  of  blasting  powder,  then  tamped; 
the  carriages  are  drawn  back,  and  the  sixteen  to  twenty-six  holes 
are  fired  simultaneously  by  means  of-  a  frictional  electric  ma- 
chine. This  takes  place  every  four  hours,  exploding  from  1<>0 
to  150  cartridges  every  twenty-four  hours.  The  reader  must 
not  infer  from  this  that  every  blast  makes  from  two  feet  six 
inches  to  three  feet  of  advance ;  because,  first,  the  holes  are 


82  BLASTING    WITH    POWDER. 

never  drilled  for  powder  in  a  horizontal  plane,  but  at  an  angle, 
sometimes  upwards,  sometimes  downwards,  to  the  right  or  left, 
the  aim  being,  that  a  straight  line  drawn  from  the  bottom  of  the 
hole  to  the  tace  of  the  rock  shall  be  shorter  than  the  extreme 
length  of  the  drilled  hole,  so  that  the  charge  or  blast  which  ex- 
erts its  force  in  the  line  of  least  resistance,  may  displace  the  rock 
between  the  bottom  of  the  hole  and  the  surface  of  the  rock,  and 
not  collar  the  hole,  that  is,  merely  remove  the  rock  surrounding 
the  outlet  of  the  drilled  hole.  It  is  usually  found  also,  that  the 
power  exerted  by  powder  is  not  sufficient,  in  working  a  heading, 
to  blast  out  the  rock  from  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  but,  most 
frequently,  from  the  point  where  the  cartridge  begins,  and  the 
tamping  terminates.  Thus,  if  a  hole  be  drilled  at  an  acute  an- 
gle from  the  face  to  a  depth  of  thirty  inches,  with  a  line  of 
least  resistance  of  twenty-four  inches  from  the  bottom  of  the 
hole,  and  a  fifteen  inch  cartridge  of  blasting  powder  be  inserted, 
and  tamping  to  the  extent  of  fifteen  inches  be  rammed  in  above 
the  cartridge,  the  rock  removed,  will,  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances, be  removed  from  about  where  the  cartridge  commences, 
that  is  about  12  inches,  or  it  may  be  14  inches,  in  a  direct  line 
from  the  face.  And  herein  lies  the  very  important  distinction 
between  powder  and  Nitro-Glycerin ;  the  latter,  bottoms,  i.  e., 
removes  the  rock  from  the  bottom  of  (in  roofing  and  quarry 
work  beyond)  the  hole ;  with  powder  this  is  rarely  the  case. 
Moreover,  as  the  depth  of  the  holes  is  increased,  so  must  the 
diameter  be  increased  in  proportion  to  the  depth  when  powder 
is  the  blasting  agent,  but  when  the  drilled  hole  is  to  be  blasted 
out  with  Xitro-Glycerin,  a  diameter  of  If  inches  is  sufficient  for 
a  hole  having  a  depth  of  ten  feet,  and  a  line  of  least  resistance 
of  eight  feet,  a  depth  wholly  inadmissible  for  powder,  because 
the  rock  at  that  depth  would  act  like  the  breech  of  a  cannon, 
and  the  explosion  would  issue  direct  from  the  hole,  only  fractur- 
ing the  edge,  i.  e.,  collaring  the  hole.  With  Nitro-Glycerin  -the 
holes  need  not  be  drilled  at  so  acute  an  angle  to  the  face  of  the 
rock,  and  need  no  tamping,  that  is,  the  drilled  hole  is  left  en- 
tirely open,  and  no  time  is  occupied  therefore  in  ramming  mate- 
rials over  the  explosive,  and  no  risk  is  incurred  in  cutting  the 
fuse  or  electric  wire,  as  with  powder,  dualin  or  dynamite,  all  of 
which  must  be  tamped.  The  explosion  of  Nitro-Glycerin  dif- 
fers from  that  of  every  other  explosive  in  this,  that  the  explosion 


A  CRITICAL  MOMENT.  83 


is  instantaneous,  consequently  the  rock  yields  before  any  flash 
can  reach  the  mouth  of  the-  drilled  hole,  and  the  work  is  done 
before  the  gases  can  travel  six  feet.  Hence  the  necessity  ot 
d<-ep  boles;  to  charge  holes  only  30  inches  deep  (except  they 
are  from  £  to  J  inch  diameter)  is  a  waste  of  the  material.  The 
same  charge  will  clear  the  rock  to  the  bottom,  with  a  hole  drilled 
six  feet  deep,  and  in  fact  bottom  the  six  foot  hole,  whilst  a  simi- 
lar charge  inserted  in  a  30  inch  hole  may  leave  three  or  six 
inches  of  the  hole  visible  with  its  surrounding  rock,  after  the 
blast.  And  here  I  cannot  refrain  from  narrating  what  a  narrow 
e>c;ipe  Nitro-Glycerin  had  at  one  time  from  being  rejected  at 
the  Tunnel.  In  the  dark  days  ot  this  enterprise,  when  every 
cent  expended  was  narrowly  watched,  and  when  it  was  favor 
enough  for  a  miner  to  condescend  to  allow  Xitro-Glycerin  to  be 
u>ed  in  his  shiit,  requests  and  entreaties  for  deep  holes,  and  re- 
monstrances that  the  holes  were  not  drilled  deep  enough  to 
give  this  explosive  a  fair  chance,  were  found  fruitless;  until, 
finally,  a  consultation  was  held  in  the  time-keeper's  office  at  the 
'•V  -r  End,  the  purport  of  which  was,  to  notify  the  writer 
that  no  more  Nitro-Glycerin  was  needed,  as  it  did  not  answer  ex- 
pectations. The  superintendent,  at  the  West  Shaft,  was  asked 
what  reason  I  gave  that  greater  progress  was  not  made  with  the 
new  explosive.  His  reply  was:  "Mowbray  says  the  holes  are 
not  drilled  deep  enough,  and,  I  think  (he  added)  it  is  but  fair 
his  demand  for  deep  holes  should  be  complied  with,  before  you 
throw  up  the  use  of  Nitro-Glycerin.  He  has  outlaid  some 

•0  for  the  experiment,  and  you  ought  at  least  to  see  the 
effect  of  deep  holes,  before  you  decide."  Agreed;  the  super- 
intendent then  went  to  the  foreman  of  the  shift,  and  requested 

<jr  holes,  ordering  six  feet  holes.  "It's  no  use,"  was  tin- 
reply;  "it's  all  nonsense;  why,  I  tell  ye,  it  won't  bottom  a  hole 
3<  >  inches  deep  ;  then  how  is  it  going  to  fare  with  a  six  foot  hole  '•> 
besides,  we  can't  drill  six  feet  holes  by  hand  in  one  shift." 
"  Then  take  two  shifts  to  do  it,  and  take  three  if  it  is  necessary ; 
this  Nitro-Glycerin  man  says  he  must  have  deep  holes,  and  he 
shall  for  this  once,  if  I  drill  them  myself,  and  it  takes  a  week 
to  do  it." 

The  deep  (only  six  feet)  holes  were  drilled,  and  charged ;  car- 

'•s  of  same  Mze  as  those  inserted  in  30  inch  holes,  were  used, 
and  tired,  every  hole  bottomed,  every  miner  was  astonished,  and 


84  DECISION    OF    ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF. 

from  that  day  the  use  of  Nitro-Glycerin  was  a  necessity  for  the 
heading  in  the  West  End.  But  it  was  a  narrow  escape  from 
what  would  have  been  deemed  a  failure.  On  another  occasion, 
during  a  drought,  the  supply  of  water  at  the  West  End,  where 
the  Nitro-Glycerin  was  manufactured,  gave  out,  and,  being  a 
necessity  in  the  manufacture,  we  had  to  haul  it  by  team.  This 
was  troublesome  work,  and  cost  money.  There  had  been  a 
change  of  engineers,  and  the  gentleman  now  in  charge,  on  the 
difficulty  reaching  him,  determined  first  to  ascertain  whether 
Nitro-Glycerin  was  a  necessity,  before  complying  with  the  con- 
tract the  Commissioners  had  made,  and  which  involved  a  supply 
of  compressed  air  and  water,  if  they  used  Nitro-Glyeerin.  And 
to  make  no  mistake,  the  holes  of  what  is  termed  the  "  cut "  in 
the  1  leading,  that  is,  two  series  of  four  holes  each,  in  a  parallel 
line  from  the  roof,  about  nine  feet  high,  were  drilled  about  five 
feet  apart  at  the  face  of  the  heading,  and  six  feet  deep,  tending 
towards  each  other  so  that  at  the  bottom  of  the  holes  they  ter- 
minated about  three  feet  apart.  After  charging  and  firing,  the 
above  gentleman  and  his  assistant  inspected  the  result.  A  mass 
of  rock  eight  feet  in  height,  five  feet  wide  in  front,  and  about 
five  feet  deep,  with  the  rear  end  three  feet  wide,  had  been  blown 
from  its  seat,  some  ten  feet  from  the  heading,  and  there  stood,  a 
monument  (until  block-holed)  of  the  use  of  Nitro-Glycerin, 
when  properly  applied.  "  You  shall  have  all  the  water  you 
want,  sir,  if  I  bring  it  myself  in  pails,"  was  the  energetic  as- 
surance of  this  gentleman,  who  felt  satisfied  that  Nitro-Glycerin 
was  a  necessity  for  the  Hoosac  Tunnel. 

In  drilling  holes  for  blasting  with  Nitro-Glycerin,  a  depth  of 
not  less  than  five  feet  should  be  reached ;  six  feet  are  better,  but 
ten  and  twelve  feet  are  the  right  depth  for  a  heading,  whilst  fif- 
teen feet  for  bench  work,  and  eight  feet  apart,  or,  for  quarry 
work  ten  feet  apart,  and  ten  feet  from  the  face,  provided  the 
rock  is  hard  enough  (in  clay,  owing  to  the  sudden  shock  Nitro- 
Glycerin  is  ineffective) ;  exploded  in  holes  of  such  a  depth  it 
will  throw  out  everything  before  it — and  make  progress.  How 
difficult  to  get  miners  to  drill  such  holes,  how  many  frivolous 
objections,  how  the  wires  and  their  connections  will  be  tampered 
with  to  interfere  with  the  intended  blast,  and  how  criminal,  con- 
trary, and  pig-headed,  they  deem  the  contractor  and  Nitro- 
Glycerin  man  who  insists  on  such  depth  of  holes,  I  have  often 


THE    TIDE    TURNS    IN    FAVOR    OF    NITRO-GLYCERIN.  85 

experienced,  and  it  needs  the  fiminese  and  vim  of  desperation 
rer  a  quarry,  descend  a  sliaft,  or  go  into  a  rock  cutting,  and 
oppose  the  lite-long  habits  of  men  who  IK  lieve  honestly  they 
know  everything  that  concerns  mining,  and  wliat  they  do  not 
know  is  not  worth  knowing.  But  if  once  a  blast  is  shewn,  and 
they  have  to  hoist  out  the  rock,  their  obstinacy  succumbs,  ,and 
in  three  months,  men,  who  knew  it  was  poison,  and  so  danger- 
ous it  was  wicked  to  ask  them  1o  drill  holes  to  receive  it,  have 
positively  refused  to  descend  a  shaft  if  powder  was  attempted 
to  be  used  merely  in  a  comparative  experiment,  alleging,  that 
the  powder  was  unhealthy  and  not  tit  to  be  used  at  the  bottom 
of  a  shaft,  where  the  air  was  confined.  And  here  let  me  truly 
add,  I  have  never  sent  Nitre-Glycerin  to  he  experimented  with 
in  any  rock  work,  rock  cutting,  or  rock  tunnel,  that  was  not  fol- 
lowed by  a  large  order,  repeated  until  the  end  of  the  work,  dur- 
ing my  past  experience  of  four  years'  manufacture.  Indeed, 
there  have  been  only  two  cases  where  it  was  found  inapplicable, 
and  these  were  in  hard  clay,  where  it  seem.^  actually  to  mould 
for  itself  a  clumber,  compressing  the  walls  of  the  drill  hole,  as 
if  an  enormous  hydraulic  ram  had  been  inserted;  but  the  tena- 
cious mass  is  not  displaced,  it  only  suffers  compression.  When, 
therefore,  holes  can  be  made  with  a  crow-bar,  and  not  drilled, 
do  not  use  Nitro-Glycerin,  but  if  you  have  rock,  be  it  as  hard 
as  emery,  or  as  the  magnetic  iron  ore  of  the  Lake  Superior  or 
Ottawa  Iron  mines,  the  harder  the  better  for  the  economy  of 
drilling,  which  is  very  great,  so  few  holes  being  required,  the 
introduction  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  with  a  good  steam  or  air  drill, 
causes  the  progress  of  the  work  to  advance  to  that  degree  that 
it  i>  only  limited  by  the  ability  to  remove  the  debris  of  blasted 
material.  To  return  from  this  digression  to  my  subject. 

To  effect  this  progress  of  120  feet,  probably  about  3,000  holes 
have  beer,  drilled  in  an  area  not  exceeding  24  feet  by  ten  feet, 
requiring  twelve  drilling  machines,  and  60  horse  steam  power  to 
compress  the  air  requisite  to  drive  the  drills  ;  add  to  this  the  pow- 
der, over  a  ton  and  a  half,  the  electric  exploders,  the  caudles 
and  oil  for  miners,  and  the  fact  that  a  mass  of  rock  120  feet 
long,  ten  feet  high  and  twenty-four  feet  wide,  has  to  be  carried 
out  and  dumped  two  miles  from  where  it  was  excavated,  and 
some  slight  idea  of  the  labor  at  this  one  point  may  be  formed. 
Now  take  double  this  length  of  rock,  viz. :  250  feet,  increase  its 


86  FLOOD    OF    WATER    AT    THE    CENTRAL    SHAFT. 

height  to  15  feet,  keeping  its  breadth  of  24  feet  —  I  say,  take  this 
mass  which  is  torn  from  the  roof,  whilst  the  heading  is  being 
pushed,  and  bring  it  and  dump  it  If  miles  from  where  it  lay 
solid,  and  you  have  again  another  point  on  which  you  can  begin 
to  estimate  the  East  End  work.  About  350  men,  a  locomotive, 
forty  cars,  200  horse  water  power,  machinists,  blacksmiths  a 
legion,  for  sharpening  drills  is  hand  work,  so  is  picking  up  rock, 
loading  cars,  making  track,  and  all  this  is  done  in  the  smoky, 
wet,  grimy,  confined  tunnel,  or  round  about  its  entrance,  and  you 
have  a  mixed,  confused  suspicion  that  this  tunnel  driving  is  a 
work  needing  high  powers  of  organization ;  and,  with  the  license 
of  the  miner,  his  pay  day,  his  weddings  and  his  wakes  and  fu- 
nerals, which  are  all  powerful  reasons  for  quitting  work,  you 
have  a  still  clearer  idea  of  the  anxiety  such  work  involves 

CENTRAL    SHAFT. 

The  Plate,  opposite  page  74,  conveys  an  idea  of  the  sinking 
of  the  Central  Shaft  at  891  feet  depth ;  at  the  time  ol  writing, 
May,  1872,  however,  this  shaft  had  not  only  reached  grade,  but 
to  a  sump  beneath  grade  at  a  depth  of  1,040  feet ;  headings  and 
enlargements  have  been  also  driven  at  grade,  east  and  west,  to 
meet  the  works  from  the  East  End,  and  from  the  Western 
Shaft.  Owing  to  the  stratification  of  the  rock,  which  dips 
towards  the  west,  great  progress  was  anticipated  in  this  direc- 
tion;  but  man  proposes  and  God  disposes;  on  reaching  about 
300  feet  westward,  seams  of  water  were  struck,  of  so  threaten- 
ing a  nature  that  a  powerful  Cornish  pump  was  erected,  at  a 
cost  reaching,  in  all  its  details,  $80,000,  and  now,  May,  after 
enlarging  the  diameter  of  the  former  plunger  pump,  prudence 
suggests  the  temporary  delay  of  any  further  disturbance  of  this 
water  inlet  (immediately  under  the  divide  of  the  mountain),  un- 
til the  present  pumping  force  has  sufficiently  drained  the  sources 
of  water  supply  to  permit  a  further  advance  of  this  (the  western) 
heading  of  the  Central  Shaft  to  be  driven  without  involving  a 
flooding  out  of  the  men  working  at  the  eastern  heading.  Mean- 
while, from  the  sump,  the  excavations  are  enlarged  to  full  tunnel 
size,  the  capacity  of  the  Cornish  and  plunger  pumps  are  being 
tested,  and  all  energy  summoned  to  meet  any  difficulties  to  be 
overcome  when  this  western  heading  of  the  Central  Shaft  shall 
resume  work.  All  the  rock  here  has  to  be  moved  from  the 


PROGRESS    OF    DRILLI.Nu.  87 

heading  by  hand  power,  and  lifted  (by  steam  power)  1,000  feet 
to  the  surface,  yet,  notwithstanding  these  adverse  circumstances, 
during  March,  100  feet  was  driven  to  the  eastward  alone.  I 
append  a  memoranda  in  furnished  by  Mr.  E.  A.  Bond,  of  actual 
drilling  and  blasting,  taken  at  this  point  during  the  dates  given, 
being  about  the  average  performance. 

<  )n  August  19th,  1871,  on  the  north  side  of  the  east  heading, 
mnehine  No.  1,  starting  at  10  A.M.,  had  at  2.08  P.M.  drilled 
three  holes,  averaging  about  five  feet  four  inches ;  the  time  ac- 
tually occupied  in  drilling  being  74  minutes,  or  an  average  of 
about  25  minutes  to  each  hole.  The  remaining  2  hours  and  54 
minutes  are  accounted  for  by  changes  of  drills,  breaking  of  car- 
riage, and  an  interval  of  40  minutes  for  dinner.  On  the  south 
side,  machine  No.  2,  starting  at  9.35  A..  M.,  had  at  2.09  P.  M. 
drilled  three  holes,  averaging  about  six  feet  four  inches  ;  the  time 
actually  occupied  in  drilling  being  81  minutes,  or  an  average  of 
27  minutes  to  each  hole.  The  remaining  3  hours  and  13  min- 
utes are  accounted  for  in  a  similar  manner  to  the  time  of  machine 
No.  1,  except  that  there  was  no  accident  to  the  carriage.  The 
average  time  of  the  two  machines  was  about  26  minutes  for  the 
average  depth  of  about  five  feet  ten  inches,  being  two  inches  and 
seven-tenths  per  minute.  It  will  be  seen  by  these  facts  that  the 
actual  drilling  is  but  a  comparatively  small  part  of  the  work ; 
bringing  forward  the  machines,  connecting  to  the  air  main,  in- 
serting the  drills  into  the  jaws  of  the  machine  piston,  changing 
these  drills  as  they  wear  down,  oiling,  releasing  drill  when  stuck, 
removing  back  the  machine  carriage  out  of  reach  of  the  blasted 
rock,  waiting  for  blaster  to  charge  the  holes,  connect  his  wires, 
and  apply  the  electric  current  to  fire  the  exploders,  removing 
the  debris  to  clear  the  track  for  the  approach  of  the  drills  —  all 
these  operations,  so  varied  and  yet  so  necessary,  each  consume  a 
considerable  <piota  of  the  eight  hours  allotted  to  each  shift. 

On  August  3n?  1871,  a  blast  was  made  in  the  east  heading  at 
5.:;»  p.  M.,  as  follows:  fourteen  7  foot  holes  were  fired  with  25 
Ibs.  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  throwing  out  about  30  tons  of  loose  rock ; 
and  one  solid  rock,  diameter  9  x  4£  x  4  feet,  and  weighing  about 
24,000  Ibs.,  a  distance  of  30  feet,  a  weighty  testimonial  to  the 
explosive  power  of  Nitro-Glycerin. 

The  expense  incurred  and  difficulties  met  with,  in  working  at 
the  Central  Shaft,  will  serve  as  a  hint  to  contractors  to  make  all 


WATER  AT  CENTRAL  SHAFT. 


due  allowance  in  their  estimates  for  striking  a  seam  of  water; 
work  may  go  on  smoothly  for  a  long  time ;  the  general  geologi- 
cal formation  of  hill  or  mountain  may  be  well  understood,  and 
yet  the  contractor  cannot  tell  but  that  he  may  strike  a  vein  of 
quartz  that  may  throw  him  buck  d^ys  and  weeks  in  his  drilling 
calculations,  or  a  seam  of  water  which  will  cost  him  thousands 
of  dollars  in  machinery  and  labor  to  keep  it  under. 

On  December  7,  18TO,  the  hoisting  machinery  broke  at  the 
Central  Shaft,  and  then  the  following  measurements  of  water 
were  made.  On  December  3,  the  depth  was  3  feet;  December 
13,  7  feet;  December  15,  8£  feet;  December  ^0,  2lJ  feet;  and 
December  24,  48^  feet.  At  midnight  they  commenced  bailing 
with  two  buckets,  one  having  a  capacity  of  341  gallons  or  54.65 
cubic  feet,  and  the  other  189^  gallons  or  31.36  cubic  feet.  The 
large  bucket  was  hoisted  1,075  times,  bailing  58,745.3  cubic  feet 
of  water,  and  the  small  bucket  966  times,  with  29,327.8  cubic 
feet  of  water,  the  whole  amount  being  549,179.0  gallons  in  27 
days,  or  21,080.0  gallons  per  day. 

The  following  anecdote  is  worth  relating,  as  showing  the  won- 
derful escapes  men  sometimes  have,  when  the  chances  are  one 
hundred  thousand  to  one  against  their  lives : 

In  February,  1872,  Thomas  Hawkins  felt  tired  and  sleepy, 
and  concluded  to  lie  down  in  the  east  heading  of  the  Central 
Shaft,  about  30  feet  distant  from  where  the  blaster  was  charging 
sixteen  holes  with  Nitro-Glycerin,  intending  to  retire  when  the 
holes  were  charged.  But  he  failed,  as  we  many  of  us  do,  to 
carry  out  his  intention.  When  the  blaster  had  charged  his  holes, 
he  left  the  heading,  connected  his  wires,  and  having  halloed  the 
usual  warning  "  Fire,"  and  every  thing  being  quiet,  discharged 
his  blast.  Thomas  Hawkins  was  awakened  by  the  report  of  the 
blast,  scattering  30  or  40  tons  of  rock,  and  annoyed  to  find  his 
foot  bruised,  he  limped  out  to  meet  the  miners  returning  to  their 
work,  who  now,  when  a  blast  is  about  to  take  place,  unceasingly 
ask  him  where  he  proposes  to  take  up  his  position,  that  they 
may  choose  an  equally  safe  place. 

An  escape,  as  wonderful,  at  the  West  Shaft,  is  worthy  of  being 
recorded.  On  August  3,  1868,  as  Richard  Dunn  was  advancing 
to  the  heading,  with  a  can  about  a  quarter  filled  with  Nitro- Gly- 
cerin, his  foot  slipped,  and,  in  trying  to  avoid  falling,  he  swung 
the  can  over  his  head,  striking  the  drilling-machine  frame,  and 


THE    WEST    END.  89 


fell  prostrate,  still  holding  tin.1  can;  a  rusli  of  air  was  heard,  and 
the  can  was  found  as  shown  in  the  photograph,  page  66,  the 
Nitre-Glycerin  not  having  exploded.  The  man  got  up  a  great 
deal  more  unconcerned  than  tlmse  at  work  near  him,  and  quietly 
went  forward  and  tilled  his  cartridges  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened. As  I  told  him  afterwards,  he  will  never  be  so  near  eter- 
nity again  without  actually  reaching  it.  The  can  had  been  filled 
at  a  temperature  of  45°  F.,  and  the  temperature  of  the  room 
where  it  had  been  stored  for  36  hours,  was  about  65°,  thus  caus- 
ing an  expansion  both  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin  and  the  air  con- 
tained in  the  can. 

The  West  End  of  the  Tunnel  comprises  the  brick  arch  and 
portal,  well  No.  4,  the  supplementary  shaft,  and  what  is  known 
as  the  West  Shaft.  The  brick  arch  has  been  driven  through 
what  is  aptly  termed,  "demoralized  rock,'-  for  immediately  after 
the  spring  thaw  it  becomes  a  quicksand,  and  spews  into  the  tun- 
nel from  every  direction.  By  driving  small  adits  on  each  side, 
and  a  central  adit  some  distance  ahead  of  the  main  tunnel,  Mr. 
B.  II  Farreii  overcame  this  dangerous  and  difficult  work,  which 
at  one  time  threatened  his  contract,  and  thus  enabled  the  arch 
work  to  be  carried  on.  Subsequently,  the  central  adit  was  car- 
ried through  to  the  West  Shaft,  and  thus  the  costly  and  difficult 
task  of  lifting  420  gallons  of  water  per  minute,  to  a  height  of 
3-><>  feet,  was  avoided,  and  it  now  escapes  by  natural  flow  through 
the  west  portal.  Drilling  is  practised  here  as  described  for  the 
East  End  and  Central  Shaft ;  in  the  East  End  the  heading  is 
driven  on  grade,  and  the  overhanging  enlargement  is  "stoped" 
out  by  hand  drilling  worked  from  an  arched  stage,  (see  plate 
opposite  page  85)  thus  avoiding  the  necessity  of  handling  twice; 
mules  draw  the  laden  trucks,  from  the  heading  and  beyond  where 
this  stopeing  out  of  the  roof  is  going  on,  to  the  locomotive,  which 
hauls  a  train  of  cars  laden  with  stone  to  the  dump. 

At  the  West  End,  however,  the  roof  of  the  heading  is  d; 
in  line  with  the  roof  of  the  tunnel,  which  is  hereby  left  com- 
plete as  the  heading  progresses;  this  involves  trucking  by  hand, 
and  dumping  the  rock  from  the  heading  over  the  bench  to  the 
lower  level,  see  plate  opposite  page  90,  and  is  not  found  so 
•  mical  as  the  East  End  method.  These  differing  methods 
of  working,  however,  were  not  started  simply  as  experiments, 
but  for  good  engineering  n  ji~i.ii> :  at  t-ie  East  End,  the  dump 


90  CONCLUSION. 


was  ample  below  the  grade  of  the  outlet,  whereas,  at  the  West 
End  there  was  no  opportunity  to  get  out  at  the  portal,  on  the 
line  of  the  intended  railroad  ;  all  the  rock  here  had  to  be  lifted 
(until  the  portal  and  arched  work  were  completed)  up  and  out  of 
the  West  Shaft,  and  dumped  on  to  the  mountain  side,  and,  to 
avoid  being  impeded  by  water,  the  heading  was  driven  on  a  level 
higher  than  the  grade  of  the  Tunnel,  thus  ensuring  good  drain- 
age for  the  most  important  part  of  the  work,  as  it  was  then 
deemed,  viz.:  monthly  linear  advance.  For  the  Commission- 
ers were  servants  of  the  public,  and  the  advance,  rather  than  the 
enlargement  of  the  Tunnel,  was  the  measure  of  their  success  so 
far  as  public  opinion  was  concerned. 

Only  by  a  personal  visit  to  this  enormous  work  can  a  correct 
idea  be  obtained  of  the  expense,  ingenuity,  engineering  skill,  and 
indomitable  energy  of  the  several  foremen  and  superintendents 
at  the  four  divisions,  viz. :  East  End,  under  Mr.  Blue;  at  the 
Central  Shaft,  under  Mr.  Roskrow;  at  the  West  Shaft,  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, with  underground  superintendent,  Mr.  White;  and  at  the 
West  Portal  or  arch  work,  the  sub-contractors,  Messrs.  Hocking 
and  Holbrook;  all  of  whom  are  daily  devising  more  expeditious 
methods  of  detail,  in  compassing  the  great  end  sought  by  each 
brigade,  the  completion  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel  contract  at  the 
time  specified. 

And  whilst  this  energy,  this  organization,  and  all  this  devel- 
opment of  the  highest  grade  of  modern  engineering,  are  being 
devoted  to  carrying  out  the  expressed  wish  of  the  majority  of 
the  people  of  Massachusetts,  the  malcontent  minority  is  sleep- 
less in  offering  every  possible  obstruction  to  the  work;  in 
Governor's  council,  in  consulting  engineering  supervision,  in 
committee  of  assembly,  in  the  newspaper  press,  covert  expres, 
sion  of  the  opposition  has  found  vent,  and  been  doubtless  useful 
in  its  way.  But  is  it  not  time  this  opposition  should  cease  ? 
Must  our  citizens  be  for  ever  confined  to  one  route  from  their 
Capitol  to  the  West  ?  Surely  there  will  be  traffic  enough  and 
ample,  to  remunerate  both  lines,  when  the  Hoosac  Tunnel  route 
is  open.  If  so,  the  time  is  approaching  for  a  generous  welcome 
from  the  opponents  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  and  the  conditions 
"  at  owner's  risk  and  at  corporation's  convenience  "  may  cease  to 
appear  on  our  freight  notes. 


Instructions  for  Handling  and  Using 


TRI-NITRO-GLYCERIN 


1.  Handle  carefully,  avoiding  a  sudden  jar  or  concussion,  and 
be  very  careful,  if  any  is  spilt  outside  the  can,  to  avoid  striking 
it  against  any  hard  substance. 

2.  When  solid,  thaw  out  by  placing  the  cans  in  a  tub  of  warm 
water,  not  hotter  than  the  wrist  can  bear,  first  pouring  warm 
water  into  the  can,  and  always  remove  the  can  before  adding 
more  hot  water  to  the  tub. 

3.  To  fill  Cartridges,  &c.  —  Hold  the  Cartridges  to  be  filled 
over  a  tray,  say  2  feet  by  3  feet,  the  bottom  of  which  should  be 
covered  with  Plaster  of  Paris  (which  will  not  readily  explode 
when  saturated  with  Nitro-Glycerin.)     The  soiled  Plaster  of 
Paris  should  be  frequently  renewed. 

4.  If  the  Nitro-Glycerin  in  a  liquid  state  is  kept  in  store  or 
magazine  for  some  time,  the  cork  should  be  loosely  inserted,  and 
a  pint  of  cold  water  poured  in  each  can,  to  be  frequently  poured 
off  and  replaced  with  fresh  cold  water  in  warm  weather,  taking 
care  to  retain  the  bladder  under  the  cork.     It  is  preferable,  when 
ice  can  be  procured,  to  congeal  the  Nitro-Glycerin. 


INSTRUCTIONS. 


5.  Use  Funnels  (gutta-percha  if  they  can  be  had)  for  filling 
water  holes.    Under  no  circumstances  whatever  attempt  to  tamp 
the  drill  holes ;  it  is  unnecessary,  and  may  kill  the  man  who  at- 
tempts it. 

6.  Hot  irons  to  warm  the  water,  or  soldering  the  cans,  will  be 
sure  to  cause  explosions. 

7.  Never  sledge  or  attempt  drilling  in  a  hole  or  seam  where 
Nitro-Glycerin  has  been  spilled ;  fire  an  exploder,  which  will  ef- 
fectually clear  it  up. 

8.  Never  pour  Nitro- Glycerin  into  a  hole  unless  perfectly  sure 
that  it  is  a  sound  hole,  or  will  hold  water ;  if  seamy  always  use 
cartridges. 

•  9.  To  obtain  the  best  results  with  Nitro-Glycerin,  drill  deep 
holes,  6  feet  or  more.  Use  powerful  exploders  and  well  insulated 
wires.  '  It  is  cheaper  to  fire  by  electric  battery  with  simultane- 
ous explosion,  than  to  fire  several  holes  with  tape  fuse. 

10.  Look  out  after  a  blast  for  any  unexploded  cartridges  lying 
around. 

11.  Never  allow  any  but  the  most  careful  persons  to  handle 
or  have  charge  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin,  and  insist  upon  the  use  of 
every  precaution  to  prevent  an  accident  or  explosion. 

12.  Never  allow  empty  Glycerin  cans  to  be  used  for  any  other 
purpose,  but  destroy  them  by  a  fuse  and  exploder,  or  building  a 
fire  under  them,  first,  however,  removing  them  to  a  safe  distance. 

13.  Examine  your  cans  from  time  to  time,  and  notice  if,  at  the 
level  of  the  Nitro-Glycerin,  any  pin-holes  have  eaten  through; 
in  such  case  procure  a  new  can,  or  stone  jar,  and  empty  the  con- 
tents out,  not  trusting  your  hold  to  the  upper  part  of  the  can, 
lest  it  may  give  way. 

14r.  When  solid,  or  congealed,  it  is  absolutely  safe ;  if  possi- 
ble, therefore,  any  surplus  should  be  stored  surrounded  with  ice, 
since  no  explosion  can  take  place  when  it  is  solid. 

GEORGE   M.   MOWBRAY. 
North  Adams,  Mass.,  June,  1872. 


APPENDIX. 


A. 


MEMORANDA    FOB    CONTRACTORS. 

1.  There  are  very  different  qualities  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  varying  from  50  per  cent, 
in  blasting  force,  and  the  same  manufacturer,  unless  able  to  control  absolutely  every 
detail  of  his  work,  cannot  insure  a  precisely  similar  product,  even  from  similar  ingre- 
dients. 

2-  The  best  Nitro-Glycerin  may  be  simply  fired,  or  only  exploded,  or  its  full  blast- 
ing effects  achieved,  precisely  according  to  the  initial  velocity  or  force  used  to  start 
the  explosion ;  two  cents  in  an  exploder  therefore  may  save  ten  dollars  in  a  blast. 

3.  Ten  per  cent,  of  water  diffused  through  Nitro-Glycerin,  giving  it  a  milky  ap- 
pearance (Nitro-Glycerin  emulsion),  will  diminish  its  effective  blasting  results  30  per 
cent. 

4.  Thirty  per  cent,  more  blasting  power  is  evolved,  when  the  Nitro-Glycerin 
reaches  the   bare  rock  of  the  drill   hole,  than   when,  by  insertion  in  cartridge,  the 
metal  of  the  cartridge  and  a  layer  of  air  or  water  are  interposed  between  the  blasting 
gases  and  the  rock. 

5.  Pure  Nitro-Glycerin  may  be  safely  stored,  and  does  not  readily  change ;  impure 
Nitro-Glycerin  needs  only  time  and  temperature  to  explode  spontaneously. 

6.  In  hard  pan,  or  indurated  clay,  Nitro-Glycerin  is  not  so  economical  as  powder  . 
in  granite,  gneiss,  hornblende,  quartz  and  other  hard  rocks,  the  harder  the  better, 
especially  in  large  erratic  boulders,  the  larger  the  better,  Nitro-Glycerin  will  enable 
the  tunneling,  cut  or  block-holing,  to  be  performed  at  half  the  cost  as  compared  with 
gunpowder. 


The  term,  "over-sensitive,"  has  been  used  in  the  fore-going  pages,  and  applied  to 
exploders.  Mr.  Joseph  Dowse,  of  Lockport,  Illinois,  applied  "fulminate  of  copper  " 
(a  discovery  of  Dr.  John  Davy)  as  a  priming  for  exploders,  and  patented  the  applica. 
tion,  observing  in  his  patent  that  parties  unaccustomed  to  the  preparation  of  fulmi- 
nates had  better  leave  this  preparation  alone.  The  sequel  shows  Mr.  Dowse' s  caution 
was  not  superfluous.  Two  manufacturers,  provoked  by  the  commercial  inconvenience 
of  the  constant  return  of  exploders  owing  to  their  inefficiency,  have  resorted  to  this 
"over-sensitive"  priming,  and  received  the  following  warnings: 

In  1869,  Mr.  Stowell  was  standing  in  the  office,  on  Sudbury  street,  Boston,  whilst 
Mr.  H,  Julius  Smith  was  packing  200  exploders  in  a  rubber  bag,  in  which  an  ebonite 


94:  APPENDIX. 


electric  machine  had  been  placed.  Mr.  Stowell  remarked,  "  Is  it  safe  to  crowd  them 
into  a  bag  like  that?"  "  Oh  yes,  perfectly  safe,"  was  the  reply,  when  instantly  170 
out  of  the  200  exploded,  severely  burning  and  injuring  both  Smith  and  Stowell,  the 
latter  being  confined  to  his  bed  for  five  weeks  in  consequence. 

A  similar  explosion  occurred  to  Mr.  Smith  on  another  occasion,  the  copper  caps 
penetrating  the  fleshy  part  of  the  thigh,  in  almost  the  same  parts  as  Mr.  Stowell 
had  been  wounded,  and  burning  the  eyelashes,  eyebrows  and  face  severely ;  by  this 
accident  Mr.  Smith  was  confined  to  his  room  for  a  considerable  time. 

Mr.  Smith's  partner,  in  touching  some  of  this  priming,  whilst  moist,  in  a  wooden 
bowl,  was  also  severely  burnt  by  its  detonation,  the  face,  eyebrows  and  eyelashes  be- 
ing injured,  and  himself  confined  to  his  room  for  four  days. 

On  Thanksgiving  day,  1869,  Charles  A..  Brown  was  handling  some  of  this  priming , 
incautiously  touching  it  on  a  piece  of  glass  with  a  steel  knife;  it  exploded,  and  the 
consequence  has  been  deprivation  of  sight. 

One  Hogan,  in  the  Fall  of  1871,  working  in  Charles  A.  Brown's  exploder  factory, 
lost  the  sight  of  one  eye,  the  other  being  severely  injured,  by  imprudently  omitting 
his  helmet  (usually  worn  whilst  handling  this  material),  and  proceeding  to  move  some 
of  the  primers  whilst  drying  the  same. 

The  superintendent,  foreman  of  machine  shop,  foreman  carpenter  and  blaster,  en- 
gaged in  connecting  the  wires,  at  the  enlargement  of  the  East  End,  were  killed 
April  21,  1871,  by  a  premature  explosion,  caused  by  the  lightning  striking  the  iron 
rails,  whence  the  induced  and  ambient  electricity,  radiating  to  the  leading  wire,  fired 
the  over-sensitive  exploders  which  were  inserted  in  the  charges  of  Nitro-Glycerin. 

At  the  Burleigh  Mine,  Georgetown,  two  men  were  killed  from  similar  causes  pro- 
ducing similar  effects. 

An  exploder,  from  one  of  the  above  manufacturers,  placed  in  a  cartridge  that  was 
being  lowered  with  forty  pounds  of  Nitro-Glycerin  from  the  Government  scow,  at 
Dimon's  reef,  to  the  diver  below,  exploded  by  reason  of  the  friction  of  the  insulating 
wire  as  it  passed  through  the  hands  of  Superintendent  Pierce ;  now,  as  there  were 
300  pounds  of  Nitro-Glycerin  on  the  scow,  had  it  exploded,  it  must  have  destroyed 
the  scow  and  every  soul  (about  40)  on  board.  Fortunately,  the  fulminating  charge 
was  as  imperfect  as  the  priming  was  over-sensitive,  confirming  remarks  on  page  42. 

These  casualties,  the  comments  of  the  press,  together  with  the  constant  explosions 
in  the  factories  of  those  who  prepare  "over-sensitive"  exploders,  are  beginning  to 
influence  both  principals  and  employees,  and  it  is  hoped  exploder  makers  will  event- 
ually succeed  in  either  resorting  to  the  Abel  priming,  or  discover,  in  the  records  of 
the  Patent  office,  some  formula  that  they  can  imitate,  not  so  sensitive  as  that  of  Mr. 
Jacob  Dowse,  and  whose  proprietor  is  equally  indifferent,  or  not  "•  ov  er-sensitiv  e  "  to 
infringement.  It  is  too  much  to  expect  they  will  surprise  their  friends,  as  Sheridan 
is  reported  to  have  astonished  his,  when,  after  repeated  failures  to  guess  how  he  be- 
came possessed  of  a  new  pair  of  boots,  he  coolly  announced,  "  he  had  actually  bought 
and  paid  for  them." 

Meanwhile,  the  manufacturer  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  if  he  would  avoid  the  additional 
risk  of  exploder  accidents,  which  are  invariably  laid  to  Nitro-Glycerin,  mu.-st  make 
his  own  exploders,  and  try  to  construct  the  necessary  electric  apparatus  to  fire  them, 
until  further  developments  have  stimulated  those  who  have  entered  into  these  trades 
to  perfect  their  wares. 

C. 

PROFESSOR  ABEL  ON  EFFECTS  OF  INITIAL  EXPLOSION    ON   EXPLOSIVES. 

Mr.   Abel,   of  the  Woolwich  Arsenal,  Great  Britain,  in   an  abstract   of  the   Proc. 
Royal  Society  xvi.  395,  observes  : 
The  degree  of  rapidity  with  which  an  explosive  substance  undergoes  metamorpho- 


APPENDIX.  95 

sis,  as  also  the  nature  add  results  of  such  change,  are  in  the  greater  number  of  in- 
stances susceptible  of  several  modifications,  by  variation  of  the  circumstances  under 
which  the  conditions  essential  to  chemical  change  are  fulfilled.  Excellent  illustrations 
of  the  modes  by  which  such  modifications  may  be  brought  about  are  furnished  by 
gun-cotton,  which  may  be  made  to  burn  very  slowly  and  almost  without  flame,  to  in- 
flame with  great  rapidity,  but  without  development  of  great  explosive  force,  or  to 
exercise  a  violent  destructive  action ;  according  as  the  mode  of  applying  heat,  the 
circumstances  attending  its  application,  and  the  mechanical  conditions  of  the  explo- 
sive agent  are  modified.  Nitro-Glycerin  or  Glonoin,  which  bears  some  resemblance  to 
chloride  of  nitrogen  in  the  suddenness  of  its  explosion,  requires  the  fulfillment  of 
special  conditions  for  the  full  development  of  its  explosive  force.  Its  explosion  by  the 
simple  action  of  heat  can  be  accomplished  only  when  the  source  of  heat  is  applied 
for  a  considerable  time  in  such  a  way  that  chemical  decomposition  is  established  in 
some  portion  of  the  mass,  and  is  favored  by  the  continued  application  of  heat  to  that 
part ;  under  these  circumstances  the  chemical  change  proceeds  with  very  rapidly  ac- 
celerating violence,  and  eventually  brings  about  a  sudden  transformation  of  the 
heated  portion  into  gaseous  products,  which  transformation  is  instantly  communicated 
throughout  the  mass  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  so  that  confinement  of  the  substance  is  not 
necessary  to  develop  its  fall  explosive  force.  This  result  can  be  obtained  more  expe- 
ditiously,  and  with  greater  certainty,  by  exposing  the  substance  to  the  concussive 
action  of  a  detonation  produced  by  the  ignition  of  a  small  quantity  of  fulminating 
powder  placed  in  contact  with  or  near  to  the  Nitro-Glycerin. 

The  development  of  the  violent  explosive  action  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  freely  exposed 
to  air,  through  the  agency  of  a  detonation,  was  regarded  until  recently  as  a  peculiarity 
of  that  substance ;  but  Abel's  experiments  have  shown  that  gun-cotton  and  other 
explosive  compounds  and  mixtures  do  not  necessarily  require  confinement  for  the  full 
development  of  their  explosive  force  ;  this  result  being  obtained  (and  very  readily  in 
gome  instances,  especially  in  that  of  gun-cotton)  by  means  similar  to  those  applied  in 
the  case  of  Nitro-Glycerin,  viz. :  by  the  percussive  action  of  a  detonation. 

The  action  of  a  detonation  in  determining  the  violent  explosion  of  gun-cotton, 
Nitro-Glycerin,  etc.,  cannot  be  ascribed  to  the  direct  operation  of  the  heat  developed 
by  the  chemical  changes  of  the  charge  of  detonating  compound  used  as  the  exploding 
agent.  An  experimental  comparison  of  the  mechanical  force  exerted  by  different  ex- 
plosive compounds,  and  by  the  same  compound  employed  in  different  ways,  has  shown 
that  the  remarkable  power  exhibited  by  the  explosion  of  small  quantities  of  certain 
bodies  (the  mercuric  and  argentic  fulminates)  to  accomplish  the  detonation  of  gun- 
cotton,  while  comparatively  large  quantities  of  other  highly  explosive  agents  are 
incapable  of  producing  this  result,  is  generally  accounted  for  in  a  satisfactory  manner 
by  the  difference  in  the  amount  of  force  suddenly  brought  to  bear  in  the  different  in- 
stances upon  some  portion  of  the  mass  operated  upon.  Most  generally,  therefore, 
the  degree  of  facility  with  which  the  detonation  of  a  substance  will  develop  similar 
changes  in  a  neighboring  explosive  substance  may  be  regarded  as  proportionate  to 
the  amount  of  force  developed  within  the  shortest  space  of  time  by  that  detonation, 
the  latter  being,  in  fact,  analogous  in  its  operation  to  that  of  a  blow  from  a  hammer, 
or  of  the  impact  of  a  projectile.  Several  remarkable  results  of  an  exceptional  char- 
acter have,  however,  been  obtained,  which  indicate  that  the  development  of  explosive 
force  under  the  circumstances  referred  to,  is  not  always  simply  ascribable  to  the  sud- 
den operation  of  mechanical  force.  Thus  silver  fulminate,  which  explodes  much 
more  suddenly,  and  with  much  more  powerful  local  force  than  mercuric  fulminate, 
nevertheless,  when  applied  under  the  same  conditions,  does  not  induce  the  explosion 
of  gun-cotton  so  readily  as  mercuric  fulminate.  Five  grains  of  mercuric  fulminate 
enclosed  in  a  case  of  stout  sheet  metal,  and  exploded  in  close  contact  with  compressed 
gun-cotton,  caused  the  detonation  of  the  latter,  but  five  grains  of  silver  fulminate  en- 
closed in  tin-foil,  though  it  appeared  to  produce  quite  as  sharp  a  detonation  as  the 
same  quantity  of  the  mercury  salt  enclosed  in  the  stout  case,  did  not  explode  the  gun- 


96  APPENDIX. 

cotton  with  which  it  was  surrounded,  but  merely  scattered  the  mass ;  when  enclosed 
in  Ihe  stout  sheet  metal  case,  however,  the  five  grains  of  silver  fulminate  accom- 
plished the  detonation  of  the  gun-cotton.  Iodide  and  chloride  of  nitrogen  are  much 
more  susceptible  of  sudden  explosion  even  than  silver  fulminate ;  nevertheless,  the 
iodide  does  not  appear  to  be  capable  of  causing  the  explosion  of  compressed  gun- 
cotton  ;  and  the  chloride  of  nitrogen  shows  but  little  capability  of  producing  the  same 
effect,  fifty  grains  being  the  smallest  quantity  that  will  answer  the  purpose. 

Lastly,  it  is  found  that  Nitro-Glycerin  when  exploded  by  a  charge  of  mercuric  ful- 
minate, will  not  bring  about  the  explosion  of  compressed  gun-cotton  placed  in  contact 
with  it,  though  under  precisely  similar  circumstances  the  explosion  of  gun-cotton  or 
of  Nitro-Glycerin  will  induce  the  explosion  of  a  larger  mass  of  its  own  kind. 

These  results  point  to  the  conclusion,  that  the  effect  of  the  detonation  of  one  sub- 
stance in  causing  the  explosion  of  another  depends  not  only  on  the  force,  but  also  on 
the  nature  of  the  vibrations  developed  in  the  formor ;  the  most  probable  explanation  of 
the  observed  results  being  that  the  vibrations  attendant  upon  a  particular  explosion, 
if  synchronous  with  those  which  would  result  from  the  explosion  of  a  neighbouring 
substance  in  a  state  of  high  chemical  tension,  will,  by  tbeir  tendency  to  develop 
those  vibrations,  either  determine  the  explosion,  or,  at  least,  greatly  aid  the  disturb- 
ing effect  of  mechanical  force  suddenly  applied,  while,  in  the  instance  of  another 
explosion,  which  develops  vibratory  impulses  of  a  different  character,  the  mechani- 
cal force  applied  through  its  agency,  has  to  operate  with  little  or  no  aid,  so  that 
greater  force  or  a  more  powerful  detonation  is  required  in  the  latter  case  to  accom- 
plish the  same  result. 


D. 

NITRO-GLYCERIN    CAR    OFF    THE    TRACK. 

The  perfect  safety  with  which  Nitro-Glycerin  can  be  transported,  when  congealed, 
is  demonstrated  in  the  following  fact,  which  should  effectually  banish  from  the  minds 
of  freight  agents  and  express  companies  the  objections  which  they  have  heretofore 
successfully  urged  against  carrying  Nitro-Glycerin  by  rail ;  so  far,  at  least,  as  con- 
corns  that  manufactured  by  the  writer. 

On  May  3,  1872,  a  special  car  loaded  with  seventy-nine  cans  containing  4,800 
pounds  of  congealed  Nitro-Glycerin,  was  being  transported  over  the  Chesapeake  and 
Ohio  Railroad,  from  Huntington  to  Charlestown;  C.  J.  Cheshire,  Assisting- Superin- 
tendent at  the  Maysville,  Ky.,  Works,  was  on  the  car  running  at  the  rate  of  18  miles 
an  hour ;  suddenly  the  car  jumped  the  track,  and  was  dragged  over  the  ties,  some  of 
which  were  two  feet  ten  inches  measured  distance  apart  (the  new  roadwav  not  then 
ballasted),  for  a  distance  of  684  feet,  before  the  train  could  be  brought  to  a  stand  still, 
to  the  no  small  consternation  of  Mr.  Cheshire,  the  engine-driver  and  stoker.  The 
rough  jolting  had  no  effect  whatever  on  the  Nitro-Glycerin,  except  tumbling  some  of 
the  cans  off  the  car,  and  in  a  few  hours,  the  car  being  replaced,  transportation  was 
resumed,  and  one  more  experience  of  the  properties  of  our  Nitro-Glycerin  added  to 
the  list. 


'    ACCIDENTS    AT   THE   HOO8AO    TUNNEL. 

Until  within  the  last  two  years  there  has  been  no  complete  record  kept  in  the 
State  Engineer's  office  of  the  casualties  among  the  miners  at  work  on  this  great  un- 
dertaking ;  but  a  careful  examination  of  the  existing  records,  and  of  the  superintend- 
ents at  different  portions  of  the  work,  has  enabled  us  to  present  the  following  analysis 
of  the  accidents,  causing  death  or  injuries  to  miners,  which  have  occurred  within  the 


APPENDIX.  97 


past  three  years,  and  to  this  we  append  the  accidents  by  gun-cotton,  Erhardt's  pow- 
der and  fire,  which,  although  of  an  earlier  date,  from  their  peculiar  nature  have  had 
special  memoranda  made  in  regard  to  them. 


ANALYSIS. 

Killed.        Injured. 

Killed  and  injured  by  falling  rocks,  tumbling  down  Shaft, 
and  the  usual  casualties  of  miners  other  than  those 

mentioned  below,         .......  14              12 

Fire  —  Burning  Central  Shaft, 13 

Over-sensitive  Exploders,  ------_  7        a  number. 

Dualin  (about  600  Ibs.  actually  used),     ....  1                 3 

Erhardt's  Powder  (less  than  500  Ibs.  used),        ...  3               10 

Gun-Cotton  (about  250  Ibs.  used),  .....  l                4 

Nitro-Glycerin  (about  150,000  Ibs.  used),           ...  5                5 
Gun-Powder    (most  of  the  accidents  from   powder,   oc- 
curred at  an  earlier  date  than  our  record,  which  in  this 

respect  is  necessarily  incomplete),        ....  2                3 

46  37 

8 

45 

This  analysis  shows  46  killed,  and  45  (allowing  8  as  the  "  number  "  vaguely  men- 
tioned in  the  records)  injured  by  the  various  sources  of  accidents  referred  to,  and  as 
the  relation  of  Nitro-Glycerin  to  other  explosives  is  what  especially  interests  our 
readers,  the  following  comparative  analysis  of  the  deaths  in  proportion  to  the  number 
of  pounds  of  each  explosive  used  at  the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  will  enable  them  to  form 
some  idea  as  to  the  comparative  safety  of  those  mentioned. 


ANALYSIS. 

Killed.    Amount  used. 
Ibs. 
3                      500 

Proportion  of  deaths 
per  100  Ibs. 
.6 

1 

250 

.4 

1 

600 

.16 

5 

150,000 

.0003 

Erhardt's  Powder, 
Gun-Cotton, 
Dualin, 
Nitro-Glycerin, 

As  Nitro-Glycerin  has  13  times  the  explosive  power  of  gunpowder,  our  readers,  who 
are  accustomed  to  use  the  latter  for  blasting,  can  easily  ascertain  the  percentage  of 
accidents  in  proportion  to  the  amount  used,  and  so  judge  for  themselves  as  to  the 
comparative  safety  of  these  explosives. 

Really,  whilst  using,  only  two  lives  have  been  lost ;  one  man  rashly  advancing  to 
the  charge,  although  advised  to  desist,  whilst  his  fuse  was  burning ;  the  other,  on 
change  of  shift,  after  a  blast,  a  cartridge  having  failed  to  explode,  and  the  blaster 
neglecting  to  examine  whether  his  cartridge  had  exploded,  allowed  the  new  shift  to 
proceed  drilling  in  the  same  rock,  and  within  one  inch  of  the  same  spot  previously 
drilled,  and  where  a  charged  cartridge  was  contained,  when  after  a  few  inches  of 
drilling  progress,  they  came  on  to  the  concealed  cartridge  —  explosion  followed.  In 
the  magazine  wheie  three  were  killed,  in  order  to  hurry  up,  after  a  previous  night's 
spree,  it  had  become  the  practice,  notwithstanding  peremptory  warnings,  to  remove 
the  cover  of  the  stove,  and  expose  the  naked  can  of  Nitro-Glycerin  to  the  naked  fire, 
of  course,  explosion  must,  as  it  did,  follow  this  reprehensible  folly,  and  disobedience 
to  orders,  resulting  in  killing  three  men. 


I  have  established  Tri-Nitro-Glycerin  Factories 

At  North  Adams,  Massachusetts, 

ALFRED  WALLACE,  Foreman; 

At  Maysville,  Kentucky, 

JOHN  WALLACE,  Superintendent; 

At  Kingston,  Province  Ontario,  Upper  Canada, 

H.  H.  PRATT,  Superintendent; 

In  order  to  facilitate  supply,  and  make  deliveries  at  least  possible  cost  for  freight. 

GEO.  M.  MOWBRAY, 

NORTH  ADAMS,  MASS. 

Where  orders  for  Exploders,  both  electric  and  tape  fuse,  gutta-percha  insulated 
leading  and  connecting  wire,  of  quality  very  superior  to  any  hitherto  made  in  the 
United  States,  should  be  addressed. 


Agent  in  New  York  City : 

W.     B.     TOWNSEND, 

No.     4O     Broadway    (Room    39.) 


LOAN  DEPT 


Mowbray,   G.M. 


YC  70285 


